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RACHEL AND LEAH 


A JEWISH STORY. 



3 r 

^J 

JOHN LEGIIM. 


ZIEGLER PRINTING CO., 
BUTLER, PA. 

1901. 


Copyright, 1901, by John Legum. 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 
Two Copies Received 

MAY. 15 1901 





«; 



RACHEL AND LEAH. 


\-5-^ r ■ 

CHAPTEKJ;x 

AN ANXIOUS MOTHER. 

The Jewish inhabitants of the Russian village, T , 

were very pious, great lovers of sacred writings, and 
generous. Though the community numbered no more 
than two hundred families, it supported one chief and 
two assistant rabbis, a chanter (hazan),two experts in 
slaying animals (shohatim), and preparing after the 
precepts of the elders the meat to be eaten by the com- 
munity, and a scribe (sopher), who had to write or re- 
pair the parchment scrolls containing Moses and 
the Prophets, and to make phylacteries. 

This small community had also two colleges for the 
study of rabbinism, with about two hundred students, 
who, mostly coming from poor families, had to be part- 
ly supported by the children of Abraham residing at T. 
The appreciation of sacred studies was so great among 
them that even the poorest used to reckon himself happy 
when he had the opportunity to board a student free of 
charge, even if only part of the time. 


4 


AN ANXIOUS MOTHER. 


Here lived Rabbi Sheah Yirmiah's (Master Joshua, 
son of Jeremiah), and was a prominent member of the 
community. He had two daughters; the name of the 
eldest was Rachel, who was so beautiful that even the 
Jacobs of to-day would have been willing to serve for 
her sake fourteen years, if there would not have been a 
superfluity of such kind of Rachels nowadays. The name 
of the youngest daughter was Leah, who, like Leah of 
old, was not so beautiful as her sister. She was rather 
homeH looking, and halted considerably, one of her feet 
being lame — a disgrace in the sight of the adherents of 
the Old Testament, whose attention is quite strongly 
turned to earthly reward and punishment. Sheah Yir- 
miath’s business, or rather main business — for he had 
his hand in everything that was going on in T., if it 
brought some profit — was the selling of liquors. He had 
a large store-house for wholesale and a saloon for retail. 

He was regarded as a very respectable man because 
of his being well off and sincerely pious. His business 
was not looked upon as a dishonest one, as he used to 
make his fortune from the godless Egyptians, the Gentile 
population of the town. 

In T. Jews and Gentiles stood in continuous enmity 
with each other. The Gentiles used to look upon the 
Jews as Christ-killers, and made use of every chance to 
torment them, and thus became Christ-killers themselves. 
The Jews, on the other hand, used to think of their Gen- 
tile neighbors, on account of their ignorance and immor- 
al conduct, not much better than of beasts, and would 
deal with them as with such, and thus would degrade 


AN ANXIOUS MOTHER. 


5 


themselves by degrading them. 

This racial hatred probably accounts for the distinc- 
tion the pious Joshua used to make between Jew and 
Gentile; that he used to sell large quantities of liquors 
to Gentiles, and thus cause their ruin, which sin he 
would not commit against his fellow Jews. 

Joshua was not a selfish man, on the contrary, he was 
benevolent to the poor and the greatest supporter of the 
synagogue. Besides that he used to give more than any 
other man of the community in the way of subscriptions 
toward benevolent purposes, he would never let pass 
any special occasion without remembering the rabbis 
and the other poor righteous in the community with 
donations. 

Thus Sheah dealt wisely, and tried to lay up treasures 
in heaven of the mammon of unrighteousness. 

Hayah Sheah Yirmiah’s (Eva, wife of Joshua, son of 
Jeremiah) was a very pious woman, worthy of her hus- 
band; and both of them tried to bring up their children, 
the already named two daughters and an only son, the 
youngest child, in the path of righteousness. 

When Eva was only forty years of age she had al- 
ready ceased to live for herself, and had begun to live 
for her children. She had only one thought, namely, 
their welfare. 

Her most cherished wish was to see one day her 
daughters, then only twelve and ten years, married to 
pious and learned husbands, and her only son, then 
only seven, to a beautiful wife, the daughter of. a 
righteous, if possible of a famous rabbi. As Rachel was 


6 


AN ANXIOUS MOTHER. 


the oldest, it would be expected that the mother should 
be especially anxious about her, — and indeed she was. 

Together with the growth of Rachel increased the 
anxiety of the mother to see her married. The pious 
Eva used to give alms and go to the weddings of the 
poor, bear, or help bear the wedding expenses, and give 
presents to bride and bridegroom, with the hope, the 
Lord would have mercy upon her and her daughter 
Rachel, and soon send a good and learned young man 
for a bridegroom. 

When Rachel was about to reach her fifteenth year 
the anxious mother would use every chance to urge 
Joshua, who was so absorbed in his business affairs that 
he found scarcely time to eat, that he should try to find 
among the students of T. a husband for their daughter. 

Of course Joshua himself being a son of Israel had 
been taught that the greatest blessing is, ^ To see children 
and children’s children grow up in the knowledge of the 
law, unto marriage, and unto good deeds”, and believed 
in it; but in spite of all the pains he took to apply it to 
himself, he failed. 

He could not find among the students of T. a really 
suitable person for his darling girl, his dearRacheh The 
one, as he thought, was not learned enough; another 
not pious enough. Sometimes he used to think he had 
found one, and would joyfully tell it to his wife, but 
would discover after a while that there was something 
wrong about the young man’s family; for instance, that 
his father was an ignorant man concerning the holy 
doctrines, or that his uncle was a blacksmith. 


AN ANXIOUS MOTHER. 


7 


do not want to be related to an ignorant man/’ 
used Joshua to say, ^‘for such a man does not know 
how to live, and is apt to transgress unconsciously 
some of the doctrines, for which sin he will have to 
suffer in Ge-Hinnom (hell), and as for myself, I do not 
like to have relatives in that infamous place.” 

As concerning blacksmithing, or similar coarse trades, 
Joshua used to argue, that kind of work ought to be 
done by Gentiles, who have no laws to study nor to 
keep; a good Jew could not have the time nor the 
strength to do heavy work. 

Thus it happened that Rachel passed her fourteenth, 
yes fifteenth year, and no bridegroom was found for 
her. But when she was about to reach her sixteenth 
birthday her mother could not any longer bear the 
thought that her daughter was not even engaged yet. 
She, therefore, sat down one day and wrote a letter to 
her father, who was then living in a neighboring village, 
telling him he should come and have a talk with J. con- 
cerning Rachel’s future. 

The letter was written with such a positiveness that 
the old man responded at once and came. 

When he was alone with Joshua he wisely began: 
*^Our Rachel is quite a bagrus (a girl of mature age), is 
she not ?— Joshua, what is the reason that you have not 
given her in marriage yet ?” 

‘‘What is the haste about it?” replied J.; “she is only 
sixteen years old. If I had a son of eighteen, I would 
have to be careful because of the first command of the 
Bible, “multiply”, which refers, as do most of the laws. 


8 


AN ANXIOUS MOTHER. 


to men. I assure you, father-in-law, Rachel will not 
oversit children (pass the age of child bearing without 
being married).’’ 

^Joshua,” exclaimed angrily the provoked man, ^‘you 
must not talk so laxly about this matter ! I know very 
well there are no Jewish nunneries in the world, nor can 
we find many Jewish old maids; but, after all, a man of 
your piety and worldly means ought to do what is right 
toward his own child, especially toward such a dear 
child as our Rachel; — may she live!” And not letting J. 
come to word he continued: “I say it iscruelof aparent 
who has a mature daughter, if he does not do all in his 
might to take a husband for her; — no, — no, Joshua, — a 
Jew must not be so cruel.” 

He had scarcely finished, when Eva appeared at the 
door of the room bitterly weeping, and advancing to 
the place where Joshua and her father were sitting said: 

cannot eat nor drink because of my continual think- 
ing of our hurban (destruction of Jerusalem and the 
temple) in our house.” 

‘‘Our wise men are right in saying: ‘A mature daugh- 
ter, unmarried, is just a$ lamentable as the destroyed 
temple.’ ” 

Having been reminded of the destruction of Jerusalem 
Joshua’s heart melted, and he said with trembling voice: 

“All right, all right; — if the Lord be willing, I shall see 
Rabbi Shmarl (pet name for Shamariahu) to-day.” 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE I. 


9 


CHAPTER IL 

THE MATCH MAKER —SCENE I. 

Who was Rabbi Shmarl? — A matchmaker among the 
middle and learned classes of the Jewish communi- 
ties of T. and vicinity. 

Rabbi Shmarl had a great advantage over his fellow 
matchmakers, by his cunningness as a circumciser. 

The performance of this holy rite is connected with 
some danger on the part of the eight days old infant, 
an expert in it is therefore not only a welcome, but a 
sought for personage by the parents whom the Lord has 
fovored by giving them a son. 

Thus Rabbi Shmarl used to be called far and near to 
covenant celebrations. But while turning the young 
one, who before he is brought into the covenant of 
Abraham is regarded as a Gentile, into a Jew, he never 
forgot to make some provision for completing him in 
the future as a man, a husband of a wife. 

He used to keep a book account of the children upon 
whom he ever performed that rite, registering their 
names and the dates of their respective covenant cel- 
ebrations. He also used to note down some of the cir- 
cumstances of the parents; for instance, if they were 
poor or rich, — if the father was a learned man or the 
mother a pious woman. Sometimes he would take notes 
of the other children of the family where he performed 
his sacred function. He used to write down, for instance, 


10 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE I. 


the names of the unmarried daughters and their respect- 
ive ages, and the names and ages of the sons who were 
not married yet, but had reached the eighteenth year, at 
which period every Jewish young man, faithful to the 
traditions of the elders, ought to take a wife. 

On this cunning way Rabbi Shmarl’s business as a 
match maker was greatly facilitated. He could tell by 
turning to his books who of the young people were mar- 
riageable, who of them were too young to marry, and 
who were married already. 

When he had made a match and the couple were hap- 
py he regarded himself as a father to them, and they 
thought of him the same; he then would be at their home 
the most welcome friend, and would be honored by them 
with the office of bringing their new born sons into the 
covenant of Abraham. But if the match were an un- 
lucky one, he then used to get all the curses mentioned 
by Moses for the wicked ones. 

Happily cases of the latter kind did not happen with 
Rabbi Shmarl very often He was altogether too care- 
ful in his dealing with the respective parties, regarding 
his occupation as one worthy of honesty and reliability. 
And ne had indeed the confidence of the people of T. and 
the neighboring villages. 


On the afternoon of that same day when Joshua had 
been so severely admonished by his wife and father-in- 
law that he promised to do something in regard to 
Rachehs matrimony, Joshua met Rabbi Shmarl in the 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE I. 


11 


synagqgue at vesper prayers. Rabbi Yirmiah did not 
hesitate to talk with the match maker on that subject 
in the synagogue, thinking matrimony a holy institu- 
tion, and one worthy to be spoken about at any holy 
place. Neither did Rabbi Shmarl hesitate to enter into 
a conversation touching a subject which belonged to 
his business; for he had read just a few minutes before in 
the Thalmnd that the Almighty Creator has been engag- 
ed since he finished the creation of the world in ^‘pair- 
ing pairs’^ (matching). 

After considerable talking on both sides Rabbi Shmarl 
said: 

“Rabbi Joshua, I cannot tell you anything about it 
just now; I will have to study the notes in my register; 
it may take until tomorrow or longer.’^ 

But in truth he was not as cool in the matter as he 
appeared to be. And how could he have taken it so in- 
differently ? He had no job for months, and really good 
matches for two, — three years, so that he was poverty 
stricken. He had in mind to hold school, but did not 
know where to get the pupils, since there were already 
too many teachers in T. O, no. Rabbi Shmarl did not 
wait until next day. He hurried off his prayers and 
went home; and giving no attention to the urgings of 
his wife to have supper first he sat down at his books. 

After he had studied a while some of his notes in the 
male volume, at once his face lightened and he uttered 
an exclamation of joy; — he had found the right young 
man for Joshua’s girl; and after a few minutes at the 
supper table he hurried away to the rich liquor dealer. 


12 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE I. 


Rachel’s mother, Eva, was too glad to see Rabbi 
Shmarl, the wonder man, without whom, as she thought, 
the world could not exist. 

‘‘Rabbi Joshua, ’’said Rabbi Shmarl joyously, “I have 
found a young man for your daughter, a real toy; he is 
now about seventeen years old, has a sharp head on 
him and is a diligent student, and, in addition to it, is 
the son of avery pious melammed (teacher of Judaism).” 

‘‘Rabbi Shmarl,” said Rabbi Yirmiah, ‘‘take off your 
iur coat and have a glass of tea.” 

‘‘Of course,” replied the learned matchmaker, “you 
know very well what our wise men say: 

“ ‘Whatever your host tells you to do, — do ye.’ Do 
you know the rhyme to it ?” 

Rabbi Shmarl seeing Joshua perplexed for an answer, 
he himself repeated the doctrine of the wise men of Israel 
together with the rhyme added by witty Jews: 

“Whatever your host tells to do, — do ye, except, — go 
ye (out of the house).” 

Both laughed heartily, and Rabbi Shmarl began to 
do obedience to his host. 

While taking off his fur coat he remarked: 

“Do you see. Rabbi Yirmiah, this coat? It is quite 
old, — shabby, but it is very dear to me. It has seen bet- 
ter times, and reminds me of the time when I myself was 
a bridegroom. My father-in-law gave it to me as a 
present when I was visiting him before I was married 
to his daughter. I tell you. Rabbi Joshua, it pays to 
have a good son-in-law. My father-in-law, his memory 
be blessed, made no mistake in taking me for hisdaugh- 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE I. 


13 


ter. Though I was a poor boy and am a still poorer 
man, I profit him now, after he is gone to the eternal 
world, more than his two own sons do. What are they 
and what do they profit him ? The one is a tailor and 
the other a shoemaker. They are scarcely able to read 
a page of the holy Thalmud. My dead father-in-law 
can be thankful to the Lord that his sons, on whose ed- 
ucation he spent a treasure of money, are able to make 
prayers in public on the annual memorial day of his 
death. But I am sure that the old man rejoices in his 
grave over me. I act on that day as a “son of the 
doctrine.’’ I fast the whole day, chant three times the 
prescribed prayers before the ark of the covenant, and 
study for his soul’s sake the whole day long the holy 
Thalmud.” 

“Now, do you not think. Rabbi Joshua, that it is a 
great advantage to have a good and learned son-in- 
law?” 

“Of course, it is an advantage, of course,” replied J., 
and I am determined to take for my Rachel the best 
husband I can get.” 

Rabbi Schmarl then carefully lifted a little his cap 
and shook it, and out of it fell a thin under-cap upon 
his head; and after he assured himself by touching his 
head with the unoccupied hand that he was covered, he 
took oft‘ the upper-cap and gave it to Joshua. 

The fur coat looked shabby enough, but the under 
cap looked worse yet. You could not tell because of the 
grease that besmeared it of what kind of cloth it was 
made; it looked as if it had been originally made of 


14 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE I. 


grease; and later, after it was old and torn, patched 
and bordered with pitch. 

He then took his corner locks from behind his ears to 
the front of them; and while wetting his hand with the 
water of the natural fountain of his mouth, and correct- 
ing the long, stiff hair of his locks, said: 

‘‘Rabbi Joshua, do you see my cap? It is not new, 
neither very clean, and still I am wearing it; all wonder 
why; even my wife scolds me for doing it; but they all 
do not know anything about it. I believe I shall en- 
trust you with the secret. You are a good friend of 
mine, — sure you are. This cap is a relic of Rabbi Mor- 
decai, the giant in the knowledge of our holy doctrine. 
I was his pupil, you must understand. His widow fort- 
unately gave it to me shortly after he died. You see 
you do not deal with common men, if you deal with us. 
You can depend on all I say concerning our weighty sub- 
ject of to-night.’^ 

“Of course. Rabbi Shmarl,^’ said Rabbi Joshua, “I 
know I can trust you. I have known you for a long 
time, and knew your father-in-law. I know you had 
the best rabbis. I wish my son might become as learn- 
ed a man as you; I would wish him only to have a little 
more mazel (luck) than you have.’^ 

After the three most interested in the match, namely, 
Joshua, Rabbi Shmarl, and Eva, sat down, the match 
maker continued to inspire them with confidence in 
him and his proposal by talking of holy subjects and 
holy men, whom he personally knew. He finished the 
prelimanaries by showing that all really great rabbis 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE I. 


15 


come from poor families, wherefore, he concluded. Rabbi 
Joshua may look rather for a poor but learned young 
man than for a rich one as a husband for his daughter. 

Meanwhile the samovar (self-boiler, tea machine) was 
ready and placed on the table. 

Rabbi Shmarl drank tea and talked; he drank a good 
many glasses of tea, and ate a good many pieces of 
sugar with it, even too many for the tea he drank, but 
in fact he was unconscious of his doings, so absorbed 
was he in the subject under discussion. 

Though he could not tell very much about the young 
man himself, since he had not seen him from the eighth 
day of his birth, still he could tell about the young man’s 
family. 

‘^He had a grandfather,” extolled Rabbi Shmarl, 
“who was a sharp-headed rabbi, and his great-grand- 
father was not only a great rabbi, but knew even the 
hidden doctrines (mystery), so that he could perform 
miracles; and his grand aunt Esther used to occupy her 
time by spinning thread for the fringe garments bidden 
by Moses, visiting the sick, and collecting money for the 
support of the poor students of the sacred literature.” 

Joshua also drank tea, but slowly: he was eagerly 
listening to what Rabbi Shmarl had to say about the 
people out of whose loins Rachel’s Messiah should come. 

Eva, Rachel’s mother, who was accustomed to eat 
last and drink after everybody had drunk and the tea 
had become cold, — who actually lived for her husband 
and children, did not drink. 

She seemed to have been satisfied with the glorious 


16 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE I. 


expectation that was awaiting her daughter, soon to 
be united in marriage with such a dear young man and 
an offspring of such dear people. 

She had been all this time so attentive to what Rabbi 
Shmarl was telling that after he finished she looked as 
if she were awakening out of a deep trance. At last she 
broke her silence by excusing herself for asking a foolish 
question. 

“I thought, Rabbi Shmarl,’^ said Eva, ‘^you would 
tell us without my asking you something I wanted to 
know, but you did not; I dare, therefore, ask you whether 
the young man you propose is good looking. 

Joshua was ashamed like a boy who has been spank- 
ed of his wife’s inquiry; and Rabbi Shmarl seemed first 
to be perplexed for an answer, as he did not know him- 
self how the young man looked, but finally ventured to 
say: ‘^Yes, yes, Eva; he looks as a ben thorah (son of 
the doctrine).” 

Joshua then exploded: ‘‘Have you ever heard of such 
a foolish question ! What is the difference, good looking 
or not, if he only is a good student, pious, and a right- 
eous man’s son. You women have long hair, but short 
minds.” 

“Not so, Joshua, my life,” replied Eva; “why do the 
men want beautiful wives? why should it be different 
with the women ?” 

“I will tell you,” answered Joshua; “the wives must 
be beautiful, in order that the husbands might be pre- 
vented from thinking about other women; but why 
should we care about a man, whether he is beautiful or 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE 1. 


17 


not— a man whose only business ought to be to care and 
work for heaven ? Reading the Bible you notice that it 
points out our arch mothers as Sarah, Rebekah, and 
Rachel for their beauty, but it does not tell whether our 
arch fathers were beautiful.” 

“This is true,” said Eva, “and we all know the truth 
of the proverb, ‘a boy needs be only a little better look- 
ing than a devil; ^ still I cannot see anything wrong in my 
asking if the young man were good looking; if we can 
gain both, this world and heaven, why not wish for it?” 

“All right !” exclaimed Joshua, the son ofjeremiah, — 
“if you wish to have a beautiful son-in-law, I will say 
nothing against it; but the first thing I care for is know- 
ledge. Rabbi Shmarl, the first question I, as a Jew, ask 
is this, has the young man a thorough knowledge of 
our holy thorah (doctrine), so that he would be able to 
become some day a blessing and honor to himself and 
to us ?” 

And turning to Eva he continued: ‘'Eva, my wife, I 
would tell you one thing, you may think or wish what- 
ever you like, but do not trouble the girl with such 
nonsense.” 

While the three aforementioned persons were talking 
the girl whose fate they were making was in an adjoin- 
ing room. When she heard a stranger's voice she 
quietly, in order not to be noticed, opened just a little 
the door and peeped into the room; and lo, who was 
there ! Rabbi Shmarl, the match maker. 

Rachel understood well enough what business he came 


18 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE I. 


for, and, young and innocent as she was, nearly lost 
control over her feelings. Joy and fear rapidly changed 
in her heart until finally fear went and joy remained, 
that joy every Jewish girl feels when she observes indica- 
tions that she is soon to be a kallah (a crowned-one, 
bride). 

There is no better sounding word to a Jewish girl 
than kallah; wife, husband are meaningless words to a 
well-bred Israelitish daughter; but to be a kallah, 
to have ahathan (bridegroom) is a foretaste of paradise. 

But now Rachel became desirous to know whom 
Rabbi Shmarl was proposing as her future bridegroom. 
She could not guess; for her acquaintance with the other 
sex was very limited. She knew well enough she would 
have to marry a student, but who will it be, what is 
his name, how does he look ? 

The Thalmud students scarcely talk to a girl, not be- 
cause they do not like to do it, but on account of the 
laymen, who think it wicked for a student of the holy 
doctrine to look at a woman. Joshua himself gave three 
students free table board, for which reason they had to 
come to his house three times a day, but they never dar- 
ed look at the daughters, who on their part were asham- 
ed to pay attention to the looks of the young men. 

Rachel then tried hard to gain some intelligence of the 
conversation between Rabbi Shmarl and her parents, 
but did not succeed. She caught disconnected words, 
as beautiful, long hair, nonsense, but could not make 
out who the proposed young man was. 

The small assembly around the tea table was so ab- 


THa MATCH MAKER.— SCENE I. 


19 


sorbed in the matrimonial subject that none of them 
noticed the passing of the abstract time. But when the 
tea machine got cold and refused its service, and the 
smell of the tallow indicated there were some large can- 
dles consumed, and the clock struck a goodly number — 
none knew how many, all suddenly turned their eyes to 
the old but true time keeper, and lo, it was midnight! 

‘^Is it possible, exclaimed Joshua, ‘‘thatitis so lateP’ 

^^Yes, yes,^^ said Rabbi Shmarl, ^‘you know what our 
wise men say: ^Pairing is just as difficult a task as the 
division of the Red Sea (before the children of Israel).^ ’’ 

Rabbi Shmarl rose to go, but unwillingly; he felt tired 
and chilly, and altogether was not ready to leave the 
warm room and walk out into the wintery cold. 

The sympathetic Joshua knew how Rabbi Shmarl felt, 
and said: ‘‘Sit down for a few minutes longer and have 
some more warm tea before you undertake to walk 
through the deep snow.^^ 

“Of course,^’ replied Rabbi Shmarl, “I will have to 
obey; for our wise men say: ‘whatever our host tells 
you to do, — do ye, except, — go ye;’ ” and he sat down. 

The samovar was heated again and put on the table, 
new candles were lighted, and everybody drank tea. 
Even Eva took time, and permitted herself the comfort 
of refreshing herself with a glass. 

While drinking their conversation became more ani- 
mated than before, and both, father and mother delight- 
ed in talking over and over again the possibilities the 
proposed match might afford them. 

Until no w Rabbi Shmarl had not told where the young 


20 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE I. 


man was living, and who his parents were; for he was 
afraid Joshua might be tempted to send there one of 
his relatives, who used to do some matching, in order 
that he should have a share in the pay; but now he gave 
way to his feelings. Seeing the kindness of Rabbi Joshua 
his heart opened and he told all he knew about the 
people referred to in the previous conversation, — who 
they were and where they were living. 

Joshua was surprised to hear that the young man 
was only fifteen miles away, and that his father was the 
righteous Rabbi Isaac, whom, knowing he was poor, 
he was accustomed to send presents before the arrival 
of long holidays. 

When the clock struck two Rabbi Shmarl suddenly 
rose, saying to Joshua and his wife that he was now to 
go to his home. He set aright his relic cap, in order to 
be able to put over it the upper cap, and after he had 
put on his large fur coat he said, ‘‘good night.’’ The 
“good night” was both for Joshua and Eva, but Rabbi 
Shmarl shook hands only with Joshua, for Eva was 
first of all only a woman, second — a married one, and 
third — she might just then have been in the condition 
which according to the Levitical laws makes any woman 
unclean herself and those who come in bodily contact 
with her. 

Rabbi Shmarl departed accompanied by Joshua to 
the front door. Here the latter urged the former soon 
to look after the matter, if possible next day. But the 
match maker complained that he had not done any 
business for a long time, and thus was not able to pay 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE I. 


21 


expenses. 

Rabbi Joshua then bade him come back to the rooms, 
went to his desk, pulled out one of the drawers, took 
out one ten rouble bill, and giving it to Rabbi Shmarl, 
said: 

“I hope you will go to-morrow to S. and, if possible, 
finish the negotiation; — do not delay. 

Humiliated Rabbi Shmarl promised to do so, and 
thanking his rich patron went home feeling richer than 
when he left it. 

When he reached his rooms he found his children 
asleep, but his wife lay in bed awake praying and wish- 
ing, as she told him afterwards, that the Lord would 
provide for their children; for there was no bread in 
the house, not to speak of other provisions. 

We can imagine how happy she must have been when 
her husband told her that he had ten roubles in his 
pocket, and hope in his heart for more. 

All felt happy that night; — but who was the happiest? 
—Eva, Rachel’s anxious mother. 


22 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


CHAPTER III. 

THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 

Next day early in the morning Rabbi Shmarl made 
arrangements to go to S — . 

While he was talking to the carriage man on the 
market place many passers-by, especially the curious 
Jewesses, stopped, desirous to overhear where the 
match maker was going: — the younger ones, in order to 
be able to guess who of the young people were soon to 
be bride and bridegroom, and the elder ones, with the 
intention to know who of their friends were soon to be 
blessed with children’s children. 

The people at S. seemed to take a yet greater interest 
in the match maker’s doings. In nearly every home he 
passed, if it had grown up sons or daughters, were re- 
marks made by parents or children. 

A girl with a merry disposition would turn from the 
window, where she was watching Rabbi Shmarl, and 
half in jest and half in earnest sing: 

“I weep sitting on a stone, 

All girls marry, 

But Istay alone.” 

Then the mother would comfort her daughter: 

‘T do not worry at all, my daughter; there are no 
Jewish nunneries.” 

In another house the mother would remark first: 

” I cannot understand why Rabbi Shmarl never comes 
to our house.” 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE II. 


23 


‘‘I do not worry, mamma dear, would the daughter 
say. ^‘Father read to me the other day out of the 
Thalmud that thirty days before a child is created it is 
announced in heaven who will be the future man’s or 
woman’s mate; thus, I think, nobody can take away 
from me whom the Lord has destined for me.” 

The grain dealer, David Yossel’s, entered his house, 
and addressing his wife and son said: 

“It seems that nothing is to come out of our expecta- 
tions; Rabbi Shmarl passed by me just nowand did not 
mention our matter at all.” 

“Maybe,” replied the mother jealously, “our son is 
not as good a scholar as that party might wish. But 
what do they expect for a dowry of only five hundred 
roubles? — Do they expect to get for such a small sum a 
Messiah ?” 

Son: 

“There is time enough for me to marry; I would like 
to sit single for a few years longer, in order to study 
the holy law unhindered, say — for two or three years.” 

Father: 

“You could study just as well after marriage as other 
people’s sons do.” 

Son: 

“You know well enough what one of our wise men 
said: 

“ Ts it possible for a man to study while carrying 
on his head a millstone ?’” 

Father: 

“Son, we are only flesh and blood. One of our more 


24 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


practical wise men has well said: 

‘^‘How is it possible for a man to study the holy 
doctrines while he is sitting in sin ’’ 

Son: 

“Father, it does not pay us to repeat that contro- 
versy between the wise men; let us rather turn to its 
decision: 

“ ^If a man is able to say: I love the study of the holy 
doctrine just as Ben-Azay did, he may remain single.’ ” 

Father: 

“Yes, — yes, — but who can claim it ?” 

Thus Rabbi Shmarl through his appearence turned 
the attention of the inhabitants of S. to the subject of 
marriage. But all hopes and talks ceased when the 
match maker stopped at Rabbi Isaac the teacher’s 
house. Everything was then clear to everybody. For 
all knew that Rabbi Isaae had a marriageable son, who 
was famous for his learning; andit was well understood 
that he was not destined for any girl of the poor vil- 
lage of S. — 

The house Rabbi Shmarl entered consisted of two 
apartments, of one large room, which serv^ed as school 
room, parlor, and bed chamber; and of a fire place 
shed, which served as kitchen and entrance hall. 

In the lodging apartment, near one of the two 
windows it had, stood a large oblong table surrounded 
by rough wooden benches, on which sat boys of nearly 
all ages from five to thirteen, fourteen years. 

At one end of the table the teacher used to sit and 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


25 


teach his pupils the whole day long and a part of the 
night. 

In one corner of the room stood a bed for the teacher’s 
wife; for the teacher himself and his three children were 
every night temporary bedsteads constructed of chairs, 
benches and boards. 

At the time when Rabbi Shmarl entered the inner 
room the pupils were busy with their studies. 

The one, a boy nine years old, tried to commit to 
memory the different benedictions a Jew has to speak 
before partaking of the different kinds of food. 

Another pupil of about the same age was reading the 
laws on ‘‘Amen.” “Amen must be responded,” read he 
aloud, “just when the chanter finisned his prayers, 
neither before nor after; and it must be said with a full 
mouth and a loud voice.” 

While reading these laws the boy became mischievous, 
and cried indeed “with a full mouth and a loud voice”: 
“Amen ! — Amen ! — Amen !” 

One of the pupils, a boy of eight years, read the song 
of Moses at the Red Sea in a very high soprano, and 
translated the original Hebrew into the Jewish in the 
same tone. 

The oldest boy in school was leaning or rather lying 
over a large tome of the Thalmud; he was meditating 
on some difficult problem, and gave utterance to his 
thoughts by chanting. 

The smallest boy, about five years old, could not 
study without the help of the teacher, and thus had 
nothing particular to do. He stood by the teacher’s 


26 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE II. 


wife, who was hard working at her dough for a whole 
week’s bread, and told her of his mamma and the baby. 
He added to all the noise already made by the other 
pupils by imitating the baby in her crying spells, and 
the mother in her soothing the crying infant. 

There was such a noise in the school that nobody 
heard Rabbi Shmarl enter. The mischievous boy, who 
took such a great delight in crying ‘‘Amen,” had no need 
of looking in the book while repeating it — he could cry 
it without a book — ;and thus while “his mouth was full 
and his voice loud” with the “Amen” his bright eyes were 
traveling from one corner of the room to the other. He 
was the first who saw Rabbi Shmarl coming in. When 
he saw a stranger he stopped crying, which caused the 
others to look up, — and the whole mill stopped in one 
minute’s time. 

The rabbi, who was just then deeply interested in in- 
structing the sharpest boy at his school in Thalmud, 
was aroused by the sudden change from noise to quiet- 
ness, and turned toward the entrance, and the rabbi’s 
wife, who was bending over her deep trough with her 
back toward the door, was also caused to turn. 

She first bade Rabbi Shmarl welcome, saying to him 
in the Hebrew: 

“Blessed is he that cometh (in the name of the Lord).” 

Then the teacher rose, and clasping his hand in the 
guest’s said: 

“Peace be with you. Rabbi Shmarl! — I did not hear 
you enter; the boys make so much noise; may they be 
well and strong!” 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


27 


^^Others/’ complained Hannah, Rabbi Isaac^s wife, 
‘dike to hear the boys chant theholy law;butifthey had 
to hear it the whole God given day long, they would 
not like ^t as well; — I have a continual headache from it. 

“I must tell you the truth, said Rabbi Shmarl “I like 
to hear them myself; you know what King David said: 

“ ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou 
ordained strength.’ — Rabbi Isaac, I have come to you 
upon some business; and would like your wife to hear 
it also.” 

The teacher understood the hint and sent his pupils 
away for a part of the day. 

While they were making ready to go the teacher’s 
wife finished her work at the dough, and sat down to 
listen to Rabbi Shmarl. 

Rabbi Shmarl then took off his fur coat and hanged it 
on a nail, took off his upper cap and remained stand- 
ing with his thin relic cap, and after he had brought to 
order his stiff forelocks sat down. 

He felt at that time as if he were Abraham’s servant 
whom his master sent to seek a wife for Isaac. He felt 
himself so much in that position that he even began his 
conversation after the manner of Eliezer talking to 
Rebekah’s parents. 

Rabbi Shmarl told them how the Lord was blessing 
Joshua Yirmiah’s, and that he decided to take a “good” 
son-in-law, and how they. Rabbi Shmarl and Joshua, 
met in the synagogue and talked about Rachel’s future, 
and how the Lord showed him. Rabbi Shmarl, clearly 
that Phinehas, Rabbi Isaac’s son, whom hehed circum- 


28 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE 11. 


cised about seventeen 3^ears ago, was the man destined 
for Rachel, Sheah Yirmiah’s daughter. 

Both parents. Rabbi Isaac and Hannah, were proud 
of their son, and always had hoped he might become 
the son-in-law of a wealthy man, but they never had 
thought of such a fortune. Joshua was rich, yes, very 
rich, and Rabbi Isaac very poor. Father and mother of 
the young man felt like shouting praises to God for His 
goodness to them. They knew well, if they would be 
related to Joshua Yirmiah^s they would not want. 

^^How much dowry will he give ?” asked the father. 

‘Ts she beautiful?” asked the mother. 

‘‘How many years does Joshua expect to keep the 
joung couple in his house?” asked Rabbi Isaac. 

“Has she costly apparel? — is she learned? — can she 
write? — can she read the Hebrew prayers?” asked 
Hannah. 

“You know,” replied the match maker, “Joshua is 
rich, and has only three children, of whom Rachel is the 
oldest; you can be sure your son will be his, if he marry 
her; and as long as your son will occupy himself with 
the study of the holy doctrine, he and his wife will have 
a home with her parents. As to Racheks beauty, I can- 
not tell you anything from mine own observation, as 
I do not look at strange women of mature age for the 
purpose of knowing whether they were beautiful; but 
my wife tells me that there is scarcely a girl in town 
as beautiful as she. Our arch-mother Rachel could 
not have been more beautiful ” 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE II. 


29 


Meanwhile the teacher’s son returned home from the 
synagogue, where he had been nearly the whole fore- 
noon hard studying the Thalmud. 

After a slight breakfast he had gone to the synagogue 
and had engaged in the nerve straining study of the 
laws concerning “The bill of divorcement brought from 
beyond the sea.” 

Besides, as he was regarded to be a sharp headed 
Thalmudist the less learned students used to consult 
him in their studies; and it happened on that morning 
that he had to solve some complicated problems not be- 
longing to the subject with which he was occupied. 

Phinehas looked tired and abstracted when he enter- 
ed the room, and only awoke when he became conscious 
of the unusual situation at home. He felt quite sur- 
prised not to hear the noise of the babes and the suck- 
lings, and to find them all gone. 

When he saw the stranger, who looked and acted as 
a “ben thorah” (son of the doctrine, learned man), he 
stretched forward his hand, and putting it into the 
stranger’s said: “Peace be with you !” 

“With you be peace !” answered Rabbi Shmarl. 

“Do you know this Jew, son ?” asked Rabbi Isaac smil- 
ingly. 

“I do not,” answered Phinehas hesitatingly after a 
glance at the stranger. 

“This is Rabbi Shmarl, of whom I told you many 
times. — He is the good Jew who brought you into the 
covenant of our father Abraham.” 

Rabbi Shmarl then addressing the young man began: 


30 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE II. 


boherl (elect one, youth), I heard you were adil- 
igent student; — what are you studying now 

‘‘I have been studying for the last two years ‘The 
order of Women,’ and am just now in ‘The Tract of 
Divorcement.’ ” 

“Now, my son,” continued Rabbi Shmarl, “as you 
seem to be a scholar, I would ask you something: 

“You probably know that very pious Jews try to 
fulfill all Mosaic laws, even those of divorcement. I 
remember Rabbi Salmele (pet name for Solomon), his 
memory be blessed, gave his wife a divorce, and mar- 
ried her again, in order not to leave any sacred law un- 
fulfilled. — Now, supposingyou wished to fulfill that law, 
and still you were unwilling to leave the wife of your 
youth, — what kind of a bill would you give her? — An 
ordinary bill of divorcement would not be here in place, 
because, after receiving it from you, she might leave you 
altogether, and even marry somebody else. — How then 
would you write the letter of divorcement, in order to 
secure her for yourself?” 

“I would give her a ‘conditional bill,’ ” answered the 
young scholar, and illustrating what he said continued: 

“I would write an ordinary bill, but would remark 
on it that it should receive its value as a divorce just at 
such or such a time on such or such a date; and I would 
invite witnesses to be with me at that time; and just 
after the bill had obtained its value as a divorce I would 
marry her again.” 

“But what would you do,” objected the learned 
match maker, “if your wife said, after the bill had be- 


THE MATCH MAKER. — SCENE II. 


31 


come due, that she would not be married to vouagain?^’ 

The elastic mind of the student ceased to act, as it 
seemed, for only one minute; then it burst forth like a 
rich water spring from an imknown depth. His eyes 
sparkled from the light of his bright intellect, and he 
began to move his hands through the air in all direc- 
tions. For a while he was utterly unable to find words 
for expressing himself— so great was his joy over his 
discovery — ; but after he had paused for a moment, and 
then stammered some unintelligible words, he said: 

^T would remark on the parchment, on which the bill 
was written, that it should receive its value just a few 
minutes before I marry her again.” — 

“You see. Rabbi Shmarl,” added Phinehas with a joy, 
as if he had invented perpetual motion, “in this way 
she could not marry any other man, because the bill 
can be called a bill of divorcement only after she is re- 
married to me.” 

Rabbi Shmarl was pleased with the sharpness of the 
young man, and said: 

“My young friend, I do not think you could call such 
kind of writing a bill of divorement; for your remark 
that it should become a divorcement before you marry 
her again seems to contain a contradiction. — Look here, 
young man,” he continued, “if the bill should receive its 
value only before you marry her again, in this case, you 
would have to marry her, in order that the bill should 
have the power to divorce; — but after you are married 
to her you cannot call it a bill of divorcement. Thus if 
you would think about it a little longer than you have 


32 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


done, you would soon find out that a conditional bill 
of divorcement, as you have described it, can never re- 
ceive its value as a legal instrument of divorcement. 
Still it does not matter. I wanted only to know, if 
diligent study would make of you a great rabbi; — and 
I am satisfied.” Patting the young man on cheek and 
chin Rabbi Shmarl added: “You areagood and worthy 
boher (elect one, youth), and deserve a beautiful bride.” 

The innocent Phinehas blushed, and not knowing 
what to say he turned to his mother asking her to give 
him something to eat as he must hurry back to the 
synagogue. 

“My son,” continued Rabbi Shmarl to examine the 
student, “are you through in your studies with the 
laws of marriage ?” 

After Phinehas had told him that he had studied 
these laws when only eleven years old, Rabbi Shmarl 
continued: 

“Can you tell me how, or, by what means a man can 
lawfully bind a wife to himself?” 

This was too simple a question, not meriting the con- 
sideration of a true scholar, and Phinehas felt hurt. 

“Rabbi Shmarl,” said he, “it seems you please to jest 
at mv cost; — even my little brother, eight years old, 
could answer this.” 

“Answer him, answer him, my son,” intervened Rabbi 
Isaac. “You must know, my son. Rabbi Shmarl is our 
friend; I am sure he did not ask it without some pur- 
pose.” 

For some minutes the pride of the young student re- 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


33 


sisted an answer, but when he became conscious that it 
was his father who bade him answer, he replied at once 
partly in the language of the Thalmud, and partly in 
the modern Jewish: 

“A woman has to be bound to a man by three 
things: By money, or a thing worth money, — by a bill 
of agreement, which the bridegroom hands to the bride 
on the marriage day, — and by living together. 

“Well,’’ asked Rabbi Shmarl, “what could you do,— 
how could you, being poor, not having money, neither 
something worth money, consecrate a girl as your 
wife?” 

Phinehas understood now at what the match maker 
was aiming. His face brightened and his eyes sparkled 
and he at once became witty. 

“My father-in-law,” replied the poor but very intel- 
ligent young man, “must be a rich man, and willing to 
give me some money before I marry.” 

“All right!” exclaimed Rabbi Shmarl, “you shall soon 
have a rich father-in-law.” 

“Phinehas, my life,” called his mother, “go and 
wash your hands; I will give you something to eat; you 
must feel weak.” Taking a half loaf of wheat bread 
she turned to Rabbi Shmarl with the remark: 

“You see. Rabbi Shmarl,, we all eat rye bread the 
whole week, except on the holy Sabbath, for which, of 
course, wheat bread must be provided; but I bake each 
week an extra loaf of wheat bread for our delicate son. 
His diligent study makes him so thin; he has no flesh 
upon him;— what you see here are only bones and skin. 


34 


THE MATCHMAKER.— SCENE II. 


I am very often compelled to think that he is more angel 
than man. — Besides, I cannot imagine he could at all 
swallow the coarse rye bread, since he has such a nar- 
row throat. 

She then took a coarse but clean table cloth and 
spread it on one end of the school table, and setting the 
eatables on it continued to talk to Rabbi Shmarl: 

“You may believe me it is quite beyond our means to 
bake each week an extra loaf of wheat bread, but I hope 
the Lord will repay us for it. Mine uncle, who is a 
very learned man, once told me that the use of rye 
/bread hurts one's memory, but that of wheat bread in- 
<:reases its strength. I thus think I do a God pleasing 
work by feeding my darling boy with bread of fine 
wheat flour; he will be the better able to remember our 
holy doctrines." 

“And the rich father-in-law will pay for the wheat 
bread," remarked the clever match maker. 

Phinehas had not heard one word of the whole con- 
versation of his mother. He looking with absorbing 
interest at a tin vessel he held in his hand, was in deep 
thought about the laws concerning hand washing. 

The cause of his strange behaviour was this: 

The members of the teacher's family used for washing 
their hands before meals as prescribed by the elders, a 
certain vessel, and there was never found any thing un- 
lawful connected with it; but to-day Phinehas, in the 
presence of his circumciser and match proposer, became 
exceedingly conscientious about the traditions of the 


THa MATCH MAKER. — SCENE II. 


35 


elders. When he took the vessel in his hand he examin- 
ed it closely, — and discovered a cut at the brim of it. 
Though the cut was very insignificant, it was sufficient 
to make a vessel according to the traditional laws 
susceptible to uncleanness, and consequently unfit for 
cleansing the unclean hands. 

When the mother saw her son hesitating to use the 
vessel, she said: 

“Take a glass, my son, and pour water on your 
hands;— hasten, my boy, to take something in your 
mouth;— you are starving.” 

“Mother, how in the world can you tell me to do such 
a thing,” objected the learned son, “you know very 
well that it is scarcely possible to take water out of a 
pail with a glass which has no handle without 
touching the water with the unclean fingers, for which 
reason the sodefiled water becomes useless for washing 
hands.” 

No proper dish for washing hands could be found in 
the house, and Hannah Isaac’s had to go to the neigh- 
bors and borrow a proper vessel. 

After Phinehas had washed his hands, he took a 
towel, and wiping them said with a full mouth and a 
loud voice: 

“Blessed art Thou, Jehovah our God, King of theuni- 
verse, that Thou hast consecrated us with Thy com- 
mands, and hast bidden us to wash the hands.” 

All in the room responded aloud, “Amen!” except 
Phinehas’ mother, who said it in a low tone. 

Hannah knew the law very well that it is forbidden for a 


36 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENP: II. 


woman, especially a married one, to let men hear her voice 
by the way of singing, which sin is classified with many 
others of the same kind under the heading, “Adultery.’^ 
Though Hannah had known this law since she could 
remember anything, she used to forget its observance 
very often. She would, for instance, sing cradle songs 
to the children in the presence of her husband’s adult 
pupils, boys over thirteen years of age. 

While praying in the synagogue she would also very 
often from out the woman apartment let the men know 
that her heart was so full that her mouth was running 
over, which occurrence would cause great disturbance 
in the man apartment, where the pious, scared by hear- 
ing a woman’s voice in the holy synagogue, would 
knock on their wooden stands with their prayer books, 
in order to admonish the light minded woman to keep 
silent. 

To-day Hannah was very careful about the laws of 
the elders. 

The exemplary conduct of her son inspired her with 
holy zeal for all that the wise men in Israel teach. 

Phinehas then thoughtfully went to the table, sat 
down, took the knife in his hand, thought for 
a minute, and placed it back on the table. He 
sat there motionless; he was embarrassed not 
knowing what to do. First, he did not dare cut the 
bread with that knife for fear it might have been used for 
cutting meat, for which reason the bread cut with it 
could not be eaten with butter. Second, he could not 
ask the mother what kind of a knife it was, because the 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


37 


wise men forbid a Jew to talk after he had washed his 
hands and recited the prescribed ritual, but had not 
broken bread yet. 

Finally, he broke a piece of the bread with his hands, 
and holding it up spoke “with a full mouth and a loud 
voice'’: 

“Blessed art Thou, Jehovah, our God, King of theuni- 
verse, that Thou bringest forth bread from the ground.'^ 

All in the room responded: “Amen!" 

After he had eaten slowly and thoughtfully the first 
piece of his wheat bread, he asked the mother, whether 
the knife on the table was the right one. 

“Yes, my son," answered the pleased mother, and 
turning to Rabbi Shmarl said: 

“You can see how much our son's mind is occupied 
with holy learning; he does not even know the knife he 
uses nearly every day. — May he grow up unto the 
knowledge of the law, unto marriage; and unto good 
deeds!" 

While Phinehas was eating the men were talking on 
the occurrences of the day; and the mother was looking 
at her son, partly to watch him that he might eat 
enough, and partly because of the pleasure she always 
had to look at his face. Hannah thought her son's face 
was shining as bright as the sun, the cause of which be- 
ing, as she used to explain it to herself, his great know- 
ledge of the holy law, which is “a lamp to the feet and 
a light on the path." 

He did not eat long; for the whole meal in the first 


38 


THE MATCH MAKER.— SCENE II. 


place was a frugal one; besides, the thoughtful student 
knowing that he could not eat rje bread, tried to save 
as much as he could of the wheat loaf, in order it might 
reach until a new one could be baked. 

After he finished eating he took the knife and hid it 
under the table cloth. For the wise men teach that the 
Jewish table represents the ancient altar; and since it 
was forbidden to use any iron tools at the building of 
an altar, the pious of to-day hide their knives and forks, 
if made of iron, before they give thanks. 

Phinehas then prayed — this time quite lengthy — , and 
those in the room frequently responded: “Amen.^^ 

After prayers he hurriedly rose, and on his way to 
the door passing Rabbi Shmarl said: 

‘‘Be well. Rabbi Shmarl!” “Be well, my son!” 
answered the match maker; and the student went back 
to the books he liked so well. 

He had scarcely left the house when Rabbi Shmarl 
began: 

The Lord has blessed you. Rabbi Isaac, with a good 
son. I am thankful to Him that He reckoned me 
worthy of bringing such a precious soul into the cove- 
nant of our father Abraham.” 

“I pray only,” said Rabbi Isaac, “that the Lord may 
make a great and learned man of him.” 

“I am sure,” exclaimed Hannah, “he will be a great 
tsadik (righteous); for I come from a good family; some 
of my relatives are giants in the knowledge of the holy 
doctrine. 

“The wise men say that children take after the 


THE MATCH MAKER.-— SCENE II. 


39 


mother’s brothers. — True, I have no brothers, but my 
mother, blessed be her memory, used to tell me that she 
was once confined of a male child, who lived only few 
minutes, but according to her own observation and to 
that of all who saw it the Shekinah rested upon it. 
Though this happened fifteen years before I was bom, 
still he was my brother just the same. Now, have I 
not the right to believe that the Shekinah will be with 
my dear boy also?” 

“Now, Rabbi Shmarl,” began Rabbbi Isaac tapping 
with hand on his forehead, as if he wanted to recall to 
his mind something he thought necessary to say, “be- 
fore we dare take any steps in the direction you advise 
us, we must know how much dowery in cash does 
Joshua expect to give the young couple. You see. 
Rabbi Shmarl, you cannot tell nowadays how much a 
man possesses, or, whether he has anything at all. — I 
would like, therefore, to ascertain the sum Joshua is 
willing to deposit with an honest person soon after the 
engagement, which sum should be given to my son on 
his wedding day, before the marriage ceremonies begin.” 

Rabbi Shmarl knowing the teacher so poor, never 
thought he would be so exact in money matters, and 
thus did not think of asking Joshua about it, and con- 
sequently could not give Rabbi Isaac a satisfactory 
answer. 

When the match maker confessed h! - ignorance to 
Rabbi Isaac, both parties agreed they wc i:ld settle the 
question by correspondence. 


40 


THE MATCH MAKER— SCENE II. 


There was no need of much writing to bring the 
negotiation to a close. All went smoothly. 

Joshua Yirmiah’s promised to give his future son-in- 
law five thousand roubles, which sum he was willing to 
deposit with the rabbi of S., a personal friend of Rabbi 
Isaac; and Rabbi Isaac was more than satisfied with 
the sum as well as with the arrangement. 

The engagement was to be celebrated two weeks 
later, on the third day of the Dedication feast. 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


41 


CHAPTER IV. 

THE ENGAGEMENT. 

When the appointed time for the engagement celebra- 
tion drew nigh Joshua sent Rabbi Isaac one hundred 
roubles to enable him to bear the needed expenses, — to 
hire teams, and to buy for Phinehas and the other 
members of the teacher’s family clothes suitable for 
such an occasion. 

On the first day of the Dedication feast, — two days 
before the appointed time, Rabbi Joshua exchanged 
letters with Rabbi Isaac as to the exact time they 
should meet at the inn which stood half way between 
T. and S. 

The third day of the Dedication feast (about 
Christmas time) in the year 1877 was very cold; travel- 
ers saw frequently frozen birds lying on the surface of 
the deep snow; but it seemed not to be too cold for 
those who were invited to Rachel’s engagement. On 
the afternoon of that same day there were a dozen 
teams standing in front of Joshua’s house; and while 
men and women with heavy fur coats were filling the 
large sleighs lookers on were filling the street. The 
neighbors also came out of their rooms, and stood 
shivering with cold on the steps in the front of their 
houses waiting for the departure of Rabbi Joshua and 
his guests. 

When the manager gave the signal to start, and the 


42 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


horses began to move and their bells to sound, all who 
knew the rich Jew, young and old, man and woman, 
neighbor and he who lived at the other end of the vil- 
lage, hallooed: ''With mazel! — With mazel!’’ ("With 
luck! — With luck!”) 

As according to Jewish custom the men vsit seperate 
from the women on public occasions. Rabbi Joshua 
Yirmiah’s did not sit with his wife. In his sleigh sat 
the rabbi of the community and the prayer chanter, the 
latter’s business on engagement feasts being to enter- 
tain the people with singing and to write the engage- 
ment papers. In the same sleigh sat also a transient 
rabbi, the head of a large collegiate, who was to act as 
an examiner. 


When a rich Jew who is also pious takes a learned 
son-in-law, he usually employs a learned rabbi to ex- 
amine the young man, either sometime before or on 
the engagement day. Experience taught the people 
having this custom that not every rabbi can act as an 
examiner. He must be a professional; he must be wise, 
and know society as well as understand human nature. 
It is for him to conform his requirements of learning 
to circumstances, for instance, to the sum of the dowry 
in question, to the intellectual, spiritual, or other ad- 
vantages of the respective parties. 

The narrator recollects the following incident: 

In W. lived a Jew, whose only riches were five bright 
sons, of whom the oldest was exceptionally gifted; — he 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


43 * 


had a brilliant mind. 

And in T. lived a rich widow, who had beside a large 
sum of money an only daughter, who was beautiful and 
virtuous. 

It is natural for a Jewish mother so situated to wish 
for a learned husband for her daughter. 

A match maker who knew both parties thought very 
accurately that the poor Jew^s brilliant son would be 
well mated with the daughter of the rich Jewess. 

All who knew of it thought it a good match; and 
since nobody doubted the ability of the young man to 
pass an examination, both parties without hesitation 
made ready and went to the place appointed for the 
celebration of the engagement. But unhappily the 
widow had employed as examiner a relative who was 
a great scholar, but inexperienced in marriage matter. 
This rabbi, a man of great knowledge himself, while 
examining the young man took no notice whatever of 
his ability and sharp intellect, but tried very severely 
his knowledge, — and found him wanting. 

Of course, the unwise wise did not lose anything — he 
had his pay just the same—; but the guests had to go 
home badly disappointed. 

The father of the young man concluded not to allow 
his other sons to dedicate their lives to the study of the 
Thalmud, and the mother felt as if her heart would 
break, and, indeed, was never well afterward. The 
young man himself became -disheartened; he left the 
study of the sacred law and studied languages, later 
medicine, and is now a good physician. 


44 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


Thus this talented young man is actually lost to the 
cause the examining rabbi thought to advance by dis- 
carding him. 


Now, Joshua was a business man, and acted in every- 
thing as such. The rabbi who was sitting with him 
was an expert. He used to have from one hundred to 
three hundred roubles for an examination, and was in 
such demand that he used to travel for weeks and 
months. 

In Eva^s sleigh sat the soon to be bride and the near- 
est relatives. Rachel was richly dressed, and being also 
beautiful looked majestic. While driving Eva was un- 
ceasingly praying to the Almighty that he would pre- 
vent any evil eye from bringing misfortune on her envi- 
able darling. 

Some jovial Jews were invited to go with them, 
though not particularly related nor acquainted, only 
for the sake of their merry dispositions. They not in- 
clined to sit among the grave men and listen to their 
grave conversation chose for themselves the front seats. 
They sat with the drivers, — that they might rather lead 
than be led. 

After a two hours drive, which for the engagement 
guests passed very swiftly, they reached the place D., 
about one mile distant from the inn appointed for the 
celebration of the engagement. Rabbi Joshua bade the 
procession to stop and listen, whether ringing of horse 
bells from the other side of the inn was heard. The sleighs 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


45 


stopped; the merry makers for the first time on this 
journey bridled their tongues; deep silence reigned for a 
few minutes, but no bell ringing was heard. 

They moved on again, driving slowly; and after they 
had driven about a half mile farther they stopped and 
listened, but no bells were heard yet. 

After they had moved on again for some minutes they 
stopped and listened, to hear whether teams were com- 
ing from the S. side. As there was no indication of this 
kind he asked the party to wait patiently until there 
were signs that the S. party was drawing nearer. 
‘‘For,’’ said Joshua, “it would be a good omen, an 
omen of equal favor with God, if both parties would 
meet on the road in front of the inn, and enter it to- 
gether.” 

They had not waited longer than ten minutes when 
they heard the bells coming from the direction of S. 
They then began to drive slowly, but as the bells gradu- 
ally rang clearer through the quiet air they drove faster, 
until both parties met at the front of the inn. 

There was a cheering and hallooing on both sides. 
The S. party also had a rabbi; and the merrymakers of 
both parties sang with enthusiasm: 

“The rabbi shall live! — The rabbi shall live! — The 
rabbi ! — The rabbi ! — The rabbi !” 

The mother of the bride dared look at her future son- 
in-law only from a distance. 

“He is not beautiful,” said she to her sister, “but full 
of grace; you can see the holy law shining through his 
face.” 


46 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


While strangers and friends were shaking hands, they 
spoke ‘^peace^^ to each other. 

^‘Peacebe with you Rabbi Joshua! — Peace be with 
you Rabbi Shmarl 1 — Peace be with you Rabbi Jew in 
case the stranger’s name was not known. 

The transient rabbi hastily tookPhinehasto an upper 
room and led him into a disputation on some problem 
of the holy law. They had been conversing with each 
other scarcely a quarter of an hour when the examining 
rabbi rose, and patting the young man on the cheek 
and chin said: ^T hope you will be a teacher in Israel.” 

The match maker watched at the foot of the stairs 
their coming down, and was the first one who was in- 
formed by the rabbi himself that the examination 
was satisfactory, and for pure joy sang: 

‘‘The rabbi shall live! — The rabbi shall live! — The 
rabbi! — The rabbi! — The rabbi!” 

The merry makers understood the signal and ac- 
companied the happy match maker in his singing, and 
soon the others fell in with them. 

When it was known in the apartment of the women 
that Phinehas passed the examination by the famous 
head of the high grade college, all relatives and friends 
kissed Rachel and patted her, telling her how proud 
and happy she ought to be for being so highly blessed. 

The girl was indeed for a while intoxicated by their 
words, but soon felt a desire to see him whom the Lord 
destined to be her companion through life and eternity; 
— but the time for such an examination had not arrived 
yet. 


TEE ENGAGEMENT. 


47 


While the guests were talking the managers were pre- 
paring for the feast, and the chanter wrote or, rather, 
filled out the already printed Hebrew engagement 
papers. It was written in it among other things that 
Joshua promised to give to his future son-in-law a 
dowry of five thousand roubles in cash on the marriage 
day; — that he also agreed to board and clothe the couple 
and their olTspring as long they please to live in his 
family; — and that the wedding was to take place on the 
preparation day of the coming Passover feast at T. at 
the cost of Joshua son of Jeremiah. 

After the engagement writ was read and signed by 
two male witnesses Rabbi Shmarl took a kerchief, gave 
one of the corners to Rabbi Isaac, and the three others 
to the two witnesses and Rabbi Joshua, — a symbol of 
their agreeing concerning the matter at hand. The 
holders then, in order to express that they were not 
mere lookers on, but that they were willing, if need be, 
to act, shook the kerchief in concert and gave it back to 
its owner. Rabbi Shmarl. 

‘‘Mazel tobh! (Good luck!) — Mazel tobhP’ cried the 
match maker. 

All knew now that the engagement was sealed and 
responded: 

“Mazel tobhl — Mazel tobh!’’ The bride’s mother and 
the bride were brought into the man’s apartment, 
where the bridegroom was sitting among the grave 
and learned. 

^‘Mazel tobh! my dear son,” said Eva; ^^may the Lord 
bless you! May you see children and children’s children 


48 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


brought up unto the knowledge of the holy law, unto 
marriage, and unto good deeds! 

The innocent young man blushed and could not utter 
one word. 

‘‘Say, mazel tobh, my son, say,’^ said Rabbi Isaac to 
his son, “this is your kallah’s mother;^’ — and Phinehas 
obeyed. 

“Rachel, my daughter,^^ said Eva, ‘'this is your 
hathen (bridegroom); say to him, mazel tobh; say my 
darling.’’ 

But Rachel hid hereself behind her mother and said 
nothing; instead, large tears rolled over her bloomy 
cheeks. 

This happens so often among young people that the 
parents on both sides took no special notice of it, and 
thought the bashfulness will soon lose itself after the 
young people have become more acquainted with each 
other. 

Meanwhile the table for the engagement supper was 
spread. The rabbis were seated at the uppermost 
places. The oldest among them was asked to break 
bread, but he conscientiously inquired if there were not 
present a descendant of Aaron, a priest; and three sons 
of the house of Aaron announced themselves. The old- 
est of them washed his hands, followed by all around 
the table, and gave thanks. After he had taken a piece 
of the decorated loaf of bread baked purposely for that 
feast he passed it to the oldest rabbi, who, in turn, after 
tasting of it passed it to the next oldest rabbi, and so 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


49 


on. After the rabbis came the laymen. 

While sitting at the table the rabbis occupied the 
time, if not in eating, in godly conversation. They 
talked of the holy doctrines and holy men; and he 
who could not partake in the conversation respectfully 
and admiringly listened, and felt elevated. 

After supper, — after the chanter with the accompani- 
ment of some of his choir had chanted the benediction 
prescribed by the wise men for after meals, the people 
began to be merry. They drank wine and some brandy, 
but made more noise than the small quantity of liquor 
drunk would cause them to make. You could frequent- 
ly hear some one holding a glass with liquor in his hand 
hallooing: 

‘^For your life. Rabbi Shmarl! — For your life. Rabbis 
So and So!’^ 

Then he would ask a blessing, but after tasting of the 
liquor would exclaim: 

'‘This brandy is too strong, only a Russian could 
drink it,^’ — and would pass it to somebody who could 
drink it. 

Rabbi Shmarl, who was accustomed to this kind of 
holidays, stood on a chair and gave a talk. He praised 
the bridegroom for his scholarship and piety, and the 
bride for her virtue and beauty. He then invoked heav- 
enly blessings on the parents of bride and bridegroom, 
and closed with a blessing for the drink he intended to 
take. Holding a glass filled with liquor in his hand he 
spoke “with a full mouth and a loud voice’’: 

“Blessed art Thou, Jehovah, our God, King of the 


50 


TEE ENGAGExMENT. 


universe, by whose command all things came into ex- 
istence,^^ 

All responded, ^^Amen.’^ 

Now appeared the weak spot in Rabbi Shmarhs char- 
acter as a match maker; — he could not drink strong 
drink. But according to the law he must drink now after 
he had asked a blessing, in order it should not have 
been asked in vain. Thus he touched the beverage 
with his lips, and then passed it on to the others, who 
in this respect could be better match makers than he. 

Then each of the rabbis gave short addresses on the 
laws of marriage and agreement, which only the learned 
could understand, but the ignorant admire because of 
its incomprehensibleness to them. 

At last the animated guests urged the bridegroom to 
make a speech. He having been so highly honored and 
blessed on that day felt competent for any intellectual 
task. — He announced to the assembled guests that he 
would be glad to receive questions, as many as possible, 
on which he would give one answer sufficient for all of 
them. 

The dishes and the spreads were taken from the table, 
und Phinehas mounted it; and all present, the rabbis 
included, stood around him and asked him questions 
concerning the holy doctrine. 

The feeble looking young man soon astonished them 
all by the vigor of his intellect. 

After a few moments of thought he gave a short dis- 
course, and then showed with surprising sharpness that 
all questions asked could be answered by the funda- 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


51 


mental principle underlying the doctrines he had estab- 
Kshed by his discourse. 

The men listened to him with admiration; and all 
the women came out of their apartment and listened 
from afar, with the exception of Rachel, who had not 
spoken or left her seat the whole evening. 

The women surely could not understand what he said, 
but they understood from the argumentative tone in 
which he spoke, and the expressions of admiration 
in the behavior of the attentive male listeners, that he 
was brilliant. — There was not one mother who did not 
pray in her heart that her boy might be like him. 

After Phinehas had finished his task so successfully 
the whole audience sang the one hundred eleventh Psalm. 

Out of pure joy over the young man’s success, and 
animated by the singing of the Psalm, they began to 
dance, — the men by themselves, and the women by them- 
selves. 

Later in the night the men became so excited that 
some of them jumped without ceasing the Cossack 
dance. Some made learned speeches, and showed an 
intellectual sharpness which like they never could do 
when in a normal condition. 

The manager in eharge, one of Joshua’s old truck 
drivers, was so deranged in his mind that he dared de- 
nounce the chanter’s ability. 

“Chanter,” said he, “you are altogether too old to 
fufill the saered function of a chanter. I knew it before, 
but I suffered you to be chanter, because I had nobody 
who could take my place. But now, the heaviest part 


52 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


of the feast is over. A person has only to see that the 
Cossack dancers should jump high enough, and those 
who asked a blessing on a drink should drink enough^ 
— that the blessing should not have been asked in 
vain. The Jews of to-day act like Gentiles; they do 
not care about the holy doctrine. My father, his mem- 
or^^ be blessed, who was, as everybody knows, a very 
learned man, said that it is not allowed for any man to 
ask a blessing on some kind of drink, unless he is willing 
to drink a quarter (of a certain ancient measure). — Thus, 
chanter, I myself will now overtake the holy function, 
and you be manager in my stead. — Look only after 
Rabbi Shmarl. If he indeed desires to be a match maker, 
he must learn to drink more. I never in my life saw 
a match maker drink as little as he does.— No, — no, — it 
cannot go so further.’^ 

The chanter, who in the universal excitement had lost 
his consciousness of his elevated position, was pleased 
with that novel proposition. He took the manager's 
white apron, and after he had put it on walked gaily 
through the rooms announcing himself, ‘The most pow- 
erful authocratic manager.’’ 

The ex-manager, on the other hand, who had a voice 
and manners coarse enough to be owned by a Russian 
truck driver, gathered around him old and young, even 
some of the rabbis, and chanted rituals. 

The women intoxicated by the smell of the liquor and 
the noise of the men showed great animation. They 
blessed and kissed one another; old enemies were 
reconciled and new matches made. 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


53 


It was already after midnight when Joshua had a 
talk with Rabbi Isaac, in which he told him he would 
soon send a team to S. to take the bridegroom to T., 
that the young people might bacome acquainted with 
each other; to which proposal Rabbi Isaac gave his con- 
sent. He also proposed to the bridegroom’s father to 
regard the engagement feast as done, to which the old 
teacher agreed also. 

The question was now, who would commit the cruel- 
ty of announcing the sad message of going home ? — The 
old manager was too busy with his chanting to give 
heed to what Rabbi Joshua told him about going home. 
The new manager did not know how to tell it to the 
enthusiastic celebrators, in order to make an impress- 
ion on them. — The apron did not make a manager of 
him after all. He told them several times that Rabbi 
Joshua wanted them to go home, but they thought he 
was joking, as they took all he did and said in the 
capacity of a manger as jest. 

At last Rabbi Shmarl undertook the task. He cried 
aloud: 

“Jews, go home!— Jews, go home ! — 

When the truck driver heard the announcement he 
took occasion to show that he knew something of the 
functions of a chanter, and cried with all the strength 
of his powerful voice: 

“In the coming year in Jerusalem! — In the coming 
year in Jerusalem ! ’ ’ 

All understood now that this was the finale of the 
the festival, and responded “with full mouths and loud 


54 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


voices’’: 

^‘In the coming year in Jerusalem! — In the coming 
year in Jerusalem.” 

After a half hour of making ready, — after a good deal 
of hand shaking and kissing, the inn was vacated of the 
people and their noise, and the sleighs were filled again; 
and through the dry cold air was heard the eternal chant: 

“The rabbi shall live! — The rabbi shall live! — The 
rabbi! — The rabbi! — The rabbi!” 

While driving homeward Eva asked Rachel how she 
liked the bridegroom, but received no answer. The 
poor anxious mother, who could not think — because she 
would not — that misfortune could befall one of her 
children, thought Rachel was ashamed to tell in the 
presence of others that she loved him. 

They reached T — ; the guests dispersed to their re- 
spective homes; and Joshua, Eva, Rachel, and their son, 
who was with them, entered their house. Joshua eager 
to know how his daughter felt concerning her future 
husband called the mother aside and asked her to try 
to find out what their daughter thought of the bride- 
groom. 

When Eva and Rachel found themselves alone in the 
dressing room the mother threw her arms around her 
daughter’s neck, and kissing her asked: 

“My daughter, how do you like your bridegroom?” 
And as if an inward voice had told her she would re- 
ceive an unfavorable answer of the newly engaged girl, 
she tried to influence her for a favorable one by adding: 

“He is so good, so pious. — The Lord will surel}^ bless 


THE ENGAGEMENT. 


55 


you both as he did Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and 
Rebekah, Jacob and Leah/’ 

Suddenly Rachel’s eyes were filled with tears, and 
without uttering a word she tore herself out of the 
arms of the mother. 

Neither of the parents could understand the reason 
of the strange conduct of their daughter; but they 
learned it later, — when it was too late. 


56 


HOW TARES GROW. 


CHAPTER V. 

HOW ' ‘tares'' grow. 

In the city of K., in Russian Poland, lived a Jew, 
Alexander Salensky by name. He was a photographer 
by profession, but used to repair watches also, and do 
a good deal of a middle man's work for the nobles. 

Through his contact with the Poles he had adopted 
some of their customs. He used to wear short coats, 
not as short as the Gentiles used to wear them, forbid, 
but shorter than the rest of the Jews were accustomed 
to wear. He also used to clip his beard, and wear every 
day — not only on Sabbath days as the other Jews — a 
clean, starched collar, for which reason his fellow Jews 
used to call him, “Sander the Dutch-man." 

He spoke the Polish language correctly; and his pro- 
nounciation of that beautiful tongue was so natural 
that the Poles would never had known him as a Jew if 
the Jewish features of his face would not have given a 
clear testimony to it. 

Though the Djidka (Jew in Polish) Alexander made 
his living from the Poles, and was well liked by them, 
and he himself had great sympathy for them, still he 
would not have liked to see his children have much 
dealing with the Gentiles. He thought his patrons 
vain and vicious, and was afraid through their influ- 
ence his children might grow up like them. Sander 
therefore, carefully sent his sons to Jewish schools, 
where the law was taught in all earnestness, and the 


HOW TARES GROW. 


57 


young were trained in the ways and traditions of the 
forefathers. 

But in spite of all precautions and pains Salensky 
took to bring up his children as loyal Jews, one of them, 
Hayim, took rather after the father, and grew more 
and more inclined to the ways of the Gentiles. He 
thought it was much easier to live after the religion of 
the nobles than after the teachings of the Jews. 

“The Jews,’’ thought young Salensky, “must pray 
long, know much, and work hard for heaven; and at 
last, the harder they work the less they are satisfied 
with themselves, because the clearer they see their 
shortcomings, and the farther they feel themselves from 
their heavenly destiny. On the other hand, the nobles 
do not pray long, do not know nor do much, and still 
are satisfied with their soul’s condition.” 

“Especially the intercourse between the sexes,” 
thought Hayim, “was very much pleasanter with the 
Poles than with the Jews. To look at a girl is not a 
sin with the Poles as with the Jews; — to dance with a 
lady is praiseworthy with the Gentiles. Even to kiss a 
girl,” argued Hayim, do not the nobles regard as sin; 
“on the contrary, to kiss the hand of a beautiful lady 
is even recommendable among the noble Poles.” 

So arguing and meditating he came to the conclusion 
that the Gentile life was pleasanter than that of the 
Jews, and, if possible, he himself was going to live it. 
In consequence of his resolution Hayim neglected his 
Jewish studies, came irregularly to school, and, judging 


58 


How TARES GROW. 


by "what the other pupils told the rabbi with great 
horror, he began to study the Polish Alphabeth. 

The teacher was exceedingly alarmed by this intelli- 
gence. 

boy,’^ said the teacher to himself, ‘‘a mere boy, — 
moreover a Jewish boy who has not reached yet his 
thirteenth year, the age of responsibility, — should have 
dealings with Gentile books! — No, — no, — I cannot let it 
pass.^^ 

Thus he went to Salensky and told him and his wife 
Sarah, who was still an old fashioned woman, what 
great danger was threatening them. From that day 
the parents watched Hayim, and he was compelled to 
go to school regularly. 

Some time after the described occurrence Hayim’s 
desire to be a Pole began to burn in his heart stronger 
than ever before, and he concluded to follow his inclina- 
tion to learn the Polish language. But the question 
was how, where, and when? 

The youth solved this problem very quickly in the 
following way. 

He borrowed a book from a Polish neighbor’s young 
son, and took it secretly to school; and while sitting at 
the large folio volume of the Thalmud he held the small 
Polish A. B. C. book between the large sheets of that 
Jewish sacred law book, — and studied Polish. 

He was able to do so for some days, until the rabbi 
noticed a change in Hayim’s studies. For he was a 
very able student; he learned very easily, and used to 
know his lessons better than the other pupils, even when 


HOW TARES GROW. 


5^ 


he had not studied them as hard as they; but in these 
days he knew them not as well as the others. 

Besides, the rabbi saw him often sitting at the Thal- 
mud absent minded, for which reason he began to 
watch his young pupil. It did not take long for the 
teacher to discover the reason of that change. — He 
saw with his own eyes that Hayim was holding an 
abomination (secular books in a Gentile language) 
between the holy sheets of the Thalmud, and instead 
of meditating upon the law day and night was 
memorizing barbarous words of the barbarous people’s 
barbarous language. 

‘‘Throw it into the fire! — Throw it into the fire! — 
Throw the abomination into the fire ! ” cried the rabbi. 

But the young man felt that he could not afford to 
lose the book, and was not willing to follow the rabbi’s 
bidding. The teacher himself was afraid even to touch 
the abomination, lest he should defile himself. Now, 
what could be done? The book must be burned. 
Command another schollar to do it ? — This would be a 
sin; you thus seduce a Jew to defile himself. Nor would 
a young man of sense do it after seeing that the rabbi 
would not touch it. 

After considerable meditation and excitement the 
wise rabbi discovered a way to get rid of the book. — 
He told the smallest pupil at school who had no judge- 
ment, therefore was not responsible for what he did, 
that he should throw the book into the fire. The little 
boy thought it quite singular and hesitated first, but 
encouraged by the rabbi and the scholars accomplished 


'60 


HOW TARES GROW. 


the heroic act. 

When Hayim Salensky’s parents heard of it they 
felt as if the greatest calamity had happened to 
them. The father was downcast and spoke not a word 
to his disobedient son and the mother wept. 

Hayim, knowing that his father was not different 
from himself, was well able to bear his father’s behavior 
toward him, but he could not endure the mother’s 
tears. He, therefore, confessed to her that he was 
wrong, and promised to be a good Jew in the future. 

At the vesper prayers of that for him and his parents 
memorable day he showed much regret, and instead of 
hurrying off his prayers as he used to do at other times, 
he was this time very reverent, and tried to put his 
whole soul into the prayer. 

When he came to the prayer of confession he sorrow- 
fully recited: 

‘‘Forgive us, our Father, for we have sinned; excuse 
us for we have dealt wickedly !” and smote his breast 
heavily, signifying his willingness to suffer pain for the 
wickedness he had committed by studving the Polish 
A. B. C. 

But this remorse was not lasting. The spirit of the 
Poles, which the Jews believed to be an evil one, revived 
again in Hayim’s young and susceptible heart with 
more vigor than before and, as we shall see, took whole 
possession of it. 

One night passing by the mansion of a rich Polish 
noble young Salensky heard someone playing a piano, 


HOW TARES GROW. 


61 


which kind of music Hayim had no opportunity to hear 
very often. He stopped with the intention to listen 
only a few minutes; but the music became sweeter to 
him with each succeeding moment, and it attracted him 
so that he could not depart from the window under 
which he stood and listened as soon as he had intended. 

After he had been listening awhile he became desirous 
to look into the room whence the music came, but could 
not; — the window was too high above him. 

He stayed himself on his tiptoes, stretched his body 
as much as he could, but in vain. He could see of the 
splendor within only so much that his eagerness for 
seeing more increased . 

Discouragedly he looked around on the ground think- 
ing he might find something that would help him reach 
the window. Suddenly he caught sight of a stone, 
which he thought could be used for his purpose. He 
rolled it near the window, and standing on it he could 
see well. 

How astonished was Hayim to discover a world 
which was so different from that in which he was living. 

It was not an ordinary room into which he looked, 
but a large hall with an artistically decorated ceiling 
and a highly polished floor. The furniture within was 
rich, and the light brilliant. 

This rich furniture and brilliant light were fittingly 
enjoyed by a large number of richly dressed ladies and 
gentlemen, who were sitting and chatting one with 
another. 

But most of all interested Hayim the musical instru- 


62 


HOW TARES GROW. 


ment and the man who knew how to use it. 

At one of the walls under beautiful paintings stood a 
mirror-like polished black piano garnished with silver, 
and at it a musician of pure Polish type, with his light 
blond hair reaching down to the shoulders, was sitting 
and producing the fascinating music. 

All at once some of the gentlemen dressed in faultless 
black and white rose and bowed to some of the ladies, 
who as response rose and gave them their hands; and 
in a minute^s time Hayim saw a half dozen pairs — gen- 
tleman and lady embracing each other — walking with, 
from, and to each other, and turning themselves with 
much grace and dexterity. Hayim was astonished, and 
motionless as a statue gazed at the dancers. 

With the time the music grew louder and faster, the 
gentlemen more cheerful, and the ladies more daring; 
and at last all gentlemen and ladies present were engag- 
ed in some kind of a dance, which Hayim, not knowing 
the real name, thought ought to be called whirlwind 
dance, because the dancers turned themselves so fast 
that he scarcely could distinguish one from another. 

It was a strange, yes, terrible sight to Hayim, who 
was accustomed to a life moderated by the strict laws of 
the Jewish religion. Yet he was so fascinated by it that 
he first thought not to return to his earthly home again. 
He would rather try to enter that heavenly land, where 
the air is filled wich sweet music, and angels in the shape 
of beautiful females are continually laughing; where 
every gentleman is permitted after a short worship be- 
fore such a heavenly creature to fly with her to and fro 


HOW TARES GROW 


63 


from one end to the other of that land. — He questioned 
himself, if it would not be wise for him to go and tell 
the beautiful ladies that he would like to join them. 
He would promise them not only to bow, but was will- 
ing even to kneel, — to prostrate himself before them as 
Jacob did before King Pharaoh. 

But Hayim soon found out what he must do. 

While he was questioning himself a nobleman looking 
out of the open window saw a Jewish boy standing 
and gazing, and said harshly: 

“Djidka (Jew), what do you do here?^’ 

Hayim then awoke from his dream, and ran home. 

He was, nevertheless, grieved; he felt he had been 
abused. He had been called by a Gentile, ^ Jew,^’ which 
name coming from an enemy of Israel never has a good 
meaning; and he was driven away, as if he were a 
nobody, not fit for noble society. 

Partly this grievous abuse, and partly his desire once 
to be admitted to such a brilliant society as he saw in 
the noble’s mansion, moved Hayim to his new but 
stronger than ever determination to learn the Polish to 
such a perfection that no Pole would dare call him Jew 
any more. 

Next morning in his prayers, when he reached the 
prayer of confession Hayim hurried it off thoughtlessly. 
He smote his breast, true, but he scarcely felt it. He 
He did it out of mere habit, unconsciously. 

After breakfast he bought a Polish primer and took 
it to school. 


64 . 


HOW TARES GROW. 


Another pupil, who saw through the window Havim 
coming, noticed that he carried something hidden under 
his coat. He awaited Hayim’s entrance, and suddenly 
lifted the coat from over the hidden thing, and, lo ! — it 
was a new book the binding of which was not like that 
of the other books. He understood what it meant and 
cried: 

‘‘Rabbi, an abomination! — Rabbi, an abomina- 
tion !” — Hayim tried to hide it, but it was too late. 

“Throw it into the fire! — Throw it into the fire!’^ 
cried the rabbi. — “Hayimka (diminutive for Hayim), 
throw it into the fire ! — Throw this Polish abomination 
into the fire, I tell you !’^ — But Hayim would not do it. 
Then the rabbi commanded him to give the book to the 
little Hirshele, who was experienced in this kind of 
work, but Hayim was unwilling to consent. The teacher 
saw no other way than to take it from the boy by force, 
even at the risk of defiling himself by handling the 
abomination. But Hayim was stronger than the rabbi 
and could not be forced. It was only when all pupils 
came to the rabbi’s help that the book was taken 
though badly damaged. 

After the rabbi ascertained that there was no mistake 
about it, that it was indeed a Gentile book, he did not 
let go this precious pearl out of his hand any more. 
Holding fast the abomination with one hand and trying 
to put on his overcoat with the other he hurried to 
Alexander Salensky. 

After he had shown them the book the characters of 
which looked to Hayim’s pious mother like mysterious 


HOW TARES GROW. 


65 


signs written by the devil, he told them he could not 
have Hayim in his school any longer as he was a bad 
example for the other pupils. 

The poor parents knew not what to do nor what to 
say, and sadly concluded to be contented with the 
rabbi’s resolution for dismissing their child from chool. 
They took very wisely into consideration that even 
their own sons at school might be spoiled by their 
prodigal. 

When Hayim came home from school he found the 
mother weeping, ond the father cursing. 

“I prophecy,” said old Salensky with his whole 
might, ‘This boy will be a Goy (Gentile).” 

But Hayim argued he could not see any sin in study- 
ing Polish, since his own father talked it well, and other 
pious Jews, even rabbis, knew it. The parents knew 
not what to say to him, but felt miserable seeing their 
son rapidly turning to the ways of the Gentiles, — 

For several days Hayim went about without any 
occupation, dreaming only of the fairy land he had seen 
on that memorable night, and meditating on ways and 
means to get there. 

One day Hayim came home and told his parents 
that he had registered at the Government school, with 
the view to studj^ the Russian and the Polish langu- 
ages. The mother’s heart nearly broke at the thought 
that her son was going now to associate with the 
sons of the Gentiles. 

The father for a while said nothing; he had given up 


66 


HOW TARES GROW. 


the boy long ago. At last he broke out like a volcano: 
“Wife, this is your son; your brother, his dear uncle, is 
not better. He also left the study of our sacred books, 
and went to the wicked America, and, as people tell, 
joined the Free-masons. This is surely worse than to be 
a common Gentile. The wise men are right in saying 
that the children take after the mother’s brothers.” 

But Sarah argued, though the one brother might be 
bad, that she had two others who were righteous, and 
were meditating upon the law day and night. 

“Besides,” observed Sarah, “I scrupulously fulfill all 
the laws the Lord gave to women. — I do not believe 
the Lord will punish me so hard.as to permit my child 
to be an outcast;” and she wept bitterly. 

The tears of the mother melted the heart of the son, 
who weeping said: “Dear mamma, you will see, I shall 
be a good Jew, even associating with Gentiles; and the 
Lord will bless me the more for it.” 

“Do you believe, mother,” continued Hayim, “that 
the men who keep separate from the Gentiles are ac- 
counted great in the sight of God? — Not at all. — Such 
men never knew to do otherwise than their parents 
taught them to do, and thus never came to the tempta- 
tion to be different. I belive that only those are really 
great before God who have studied science, and the 
languages of the Gentiles, and know their ways and 
customs, and still remain loyal Jews.” 

The mother was through her son’s sharp argument, 
which sounded to her like a paragraph of the Thal- 
mud, gradually pacified. The father, who for the first 


HOW TARES GROW. 


67 


time heard Hayim so boldly and cleverl}^ talk, became 
at once a little proud of his boy, and persuaded himself 
to leave the whole matter with him. 

‘‘Son,” said Alexander decisively and yet mildly, 
“You are nearing your thirteenth year of age You 
soon will be bar mitsvoh (son of the law, a responsi- 
ble person). If you insist upon studying at a Gentile 
school, you yourself will have to be punished, if you go 
astray frpm our holy faith. 

Next day early in the morning Hayim put on his 
phylacteries with great care and thoughtfulness, and 
prayed long. Before he began to recite the prayer of 
confession he stopped, and in a minute^s time the fol- 
lowing scrupulous thoughts ran through his mind: 

“Is it a sin to study the languages of the Gentiles, 
and to associate with them? No; — it cannot be. If 
not, I am now to confess sins, — which ones? — I do not 
know of any sins I have committed. — In the confession 
w'ritten by Israel’s wise men we say: “Father forgive 
us, for we have sinned!” — Who is meant by, “we” — ? — 
The whole Israelitish congregation. The rabbis teach 
that all Isralites are responsible for each other. Thus 
I have to confess sins, whether I, personally, have any 
or not; — I am responsible for the sins of my nation.” 
Then Hayim recited: “Forgive us our Father, for — .” 
Here Hayim paused again, in order to recall to his 
memory the national sins of the Jews, of which he had 
heard and read so much. He wished to keep them in 
mind while speaking the solemn words: “We have 
sinned.” Clinching his right fist, lifting it to his breast. 


68 


HOW TARES GROW. 


but holding it a distance from it, in order to be ready 
for smiting the breast after the terrible word, “sinned,’^ 
has left his mouth, he, thought: ‘‘Yes for the sake of 
my sinful forefathers have I to suffer to-day. — They 
were driven out from their land, and we are at present 
living in exile, dispersed among the nations of the 
world; and instead of being nobles ourselves we must 
serve Gentile nobles. If I had been in Jerusalem, no- 
body would have driven me away from the window of 
a noble^s house naming me, “Jew.^’ — Why! — In Jersua- 
lem, — I would have been a noble myself, and would 
have heard sweet music every day, and would have en- 
joyed the company of beautiful ladies whenever I wish- 
ed. — What do I think about? — About women! — Oh, God, 
in Thy presence — , while I was praying to Thee I had 
such impure thoughts! — I need not refer the confession 
to national sins anymore; I myself have committed one 
just now.’’ — “We have sinned,” finished Hayim deeply 
moved by his confession, and let fall his fist on his 
breast so hard that the sound called the attention of 
the mother. 

She felt happy over it, and praised God in her heart 
for revealing to her that her son, her cleverest son, was 
trying to be a loyal Jew. 

When he left the house on that morning to go to the 
Folks school his mother accompanied him to the 
street in front of their cottage. There she stood with 
tears in her eyes and prayers in her heart looking after 
her child until he was out of sight. 


HOW TARES GROW. 


69 


Hayim was in the first two of his school years an 
examplary A^oung man. He studied diligentl^^ at school 
and showed himself a pious Jew at home. But later, 
through the influence of his Gentile friends, his will 
power broke, and he lost his individuality as a Jew; he 
walked, like his conpanions, the broad road of life, 
which proved A"er\" destructive to his Judaism. 

In the beginning of his fall his parents noticed no 
special change in his conduct, because feeling himself de- 
pendent on them for his livelihood he was compelled to 
keep himself within certain limits. But after some 
years, when he had finished his course of study, know- 
ing that he could earn his liAung with the two languages 
he had mastered, he showed himself in his true color. 

He preferred Polish society to Jewish, took part in 
the feastivities of the Gentiles, danced with Gentile 
ladies, ate Gentile meat and drank Gentile wine; — in 
short he became what he always wished to be, — a Pole. 

His poor mother worried, admonished, and prayed 
that he would leave his wicked ways, but all was in 
vain. Hayim was beyond the threshold of help. 

In order to avoid the tearful admonitions of his 
mother, he hired out as a secretary to a GoA^ernment 
officer, and moA^ed from his parents to a Polish family. 
This was altogether too hard for the mother to bear. 
She fell gradually into melancholy, and finally died of a 
broken heart. 

After her death he went to the SAmagogue at least 
tAAUce a day — according to the laAA^ — eleA^en month long, 
to pray for the sal Amtion of her soul. He did this not 


70 


HOW TARES GROW. 


because of his piety, but purely out of love for her. 
When the year of mourning was over he became more 
alienated to the synagogue than before so that his 
father called him prodigal, his brothers would not men- 
tion his name, and all other Jews regarded him as an 
apostate. 

The Jews were not able to turn Hayim Salensky by 
showing their contempt for him; on the contrary, he 
went on from bad to worse. 

Until now he wronged only himself— for if he did what 
he ought not to do according to the laws of Moses and 
the Prophets, he himself must suffer for it in Ge — Hin- 
nom — ; but later he became a scourge for others. 

Through his ability to talk the Russian better 
than thousands of other Jews he received from the 
Russian government the office of an excise agent, and 
thus was caused to collect duties on liquors from the 
chosen people and send them to the Gentile government, 
which to do was regarded ver\’ sinful, especially by the 
liquor dealers. 

The modem Jews thought of Hayim just as their fore- 
fathers did think of Sacch^eus in the time of Christ, 
namely, that he was a great sinner. 

There were, however, differences between the Roman 
tax-gatherer and the Russian excise agent. 

First, Hayim was not little of stature as Sacchaeus; on 
the contrary", he was tall, symmetrically built, and 
strong. When he was wearing the Czar's uniform he 
looked majestic. Neither was he as greedy for money as 


HOW TARES GROW. 


71 


Sacchasus seems to have been. Remorse of conscience 
would never have brought forth from Hayim the words 
of Saccha^us despairingly uttered to the Saviour: “If I 
have taken anything of any man by false accusation, I 
restore him fourfold.” For Havim was very far from 
accusing anybody falseh', in order to enrich himself; on 
the contrary, he used to be kind to the liquor dealers, 
and help in many ways the poor among them. 

Notwithstanding Salensky’s good qualities the Jews 
did not hate him less than they did the Roman chief 
among the publicans. For the\" understood well that 
the government gave him that position calculating that 
he knowing his people would be able to make them 
pay all their liquor duties, to which order of things 
they were not accustomed. They knew well enough, if 
the government had set into this office an honest and 
clever Gentile who could not be bribed nor deceived, 
that they would have had to pay the same amount they 
pay to Salensky. Still they could not bear the thought 
of a Jew making himself a scourge in the hands of the 
Gentiles to lash his own brothers. In their eyes he was 
as bad as a Christianized Jew; and he influenced by their 
spirit thought himself a stranger to the congregation of 
Israel, and acted very much like it. 

He used to go to the synagogue only twice or thrice 
a year; and even then he used to come later than the 
others, and leave before the rest. 

He was never invited to take part in :::iy of the pub- 
lic synagogual exercises, as for instanc:, to read the 
rituals before the ark of the covenant, or to come up to 


72 


HOW TARES GROW. 


the altar table and give public praise to God for the 
Law He gave, and listen to the readings of a portion 
of it. 

It would have been a disgrace to have him stand be- 
fore the holy scroll, on which the Pentateuch is written. 
No Jew with sense could imagine Hayim Salensky with 
the ‘‘swinish chin” (shaved ) standing before the written 
law of Moses, and praising God for the commandments 
which he was all the time transgressing. 

Indeed, the Jewish community would have been bet- 
ter satisfied if he never came to the synagogue. “What 
does he want in our synagogue?” could you hear very 
often a Jew ask; “he is worse than a Goy (Gentile), and 
I would not be astonished at all, if I would hear one 
day that Hayim Salensky did shmad himself (did anni- 
hilate himself by Christian baptism.).” 


Though the pious Jews had hatred in their hearts 
against Salensky, they used to flatter him and show 
him great respect whenhe was present; for they frequent- 
ly needed his help. Whenever he came to a place where 
Jews were living he had to write for them the Russian 
address on their letters. Many a letter used to be de- 
layed until Salensky came and wrote the address in the 
Russian language as the Post department required. 

When Jews had dealings with the government, court, 
or police Salensky had to write papers, and often speak 
for them. For they as faithful followers of the Phari- 
sees thought it wicked to study the Russian language; 


HOW TARES GROW. 


73 


but Hayim was an apostate; he had studied it, and 
knew it well; — and the by all means practical Jews held 
it for no sin to make use of the sin he committed. 

His greatest flatterers, of course, were the liquor 
dealers. His business being to see that unexcised liquors 
should not be handled as a merchandise the^" tried to 
bribe him with false honor, in order to gain his favor. 
But Hayim was not deceived by their flattery. 

He closed his eyes many a time, in order not to see 
their crookedness; but this he did, though he knew that 
they hated him — He was naturally a good man, and 
affectionately loved his kindred. 


74 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


CHAPTER VI. 

AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 

Now, our friend, the liquor dealer, Joshua Yirmiah’s, 
belonged to the district over which the excise agent, 
Hayim Salensky, had the inspection. When the latter 
came to T. as his custom was every two weeks he used 
to stay with the rich liquor dealer. 

Joshua used to flatter him b\" bestowing upon him 
man}^ honors. He made him acquainted with his friends 
and relatives, and knowing that all Gentiles love beau- 
tiful women introduced him to his daughter Rachel. 

If somebody had spoken to Joshua of a possibility^ of 
marrying his daughter to Salensky, he would have 
cursed at such a fool. Or if Hayim himself had dared 
ask Joshua to give him the beautiful Rachel for a wife, 
the latter, though only a down trodden Jew, would 
have driven the Government officer out of doors. Joshua 
would have given up his lucrative business, if he had 
surmised that there was any danger for his daughter. 

Baku’s opinion concerning this matter was surely not 
different from that of her husband. If she had noticed 
in Rachel some liking for the excise agent, she would 
have been frightened to death, and would have told her 
that she Avould rather see her dead and buried than 
married to that meshumad (annihilated one). 

Not at all. Such thoughts were very far from Joshua 
and his companion while making Salensky acquainted 
with their daughter.— Joshua had only one reason for 


AN UNHXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


75 


doing it, and this was, that the excise agent might over- 
look some carelessness on his part in regard to the ex- 
tensive excise laws. 


But unfortunately, Rachel understood not diplomacy. 
After she became acquainted with the agent she admired 
him. 

First of all, Salensky was a beautiful and vigorous 
lookifig man. He looked so much different from the 
students she was accustomed to see, who through hard 
study and lack of comfort used to look sickly. 

Rachel imagined Salensky resembled the Autocrat of 
Russia. Though she had never seen the czar, not even 
his picture, as her father, belonging to the first class 
pious Jews, would not allow any facsimiles of persons 
in his house; still Salensky ’s courageous appearence 
and soldiary bearing made her think so. 

Second, his knowledge of two languages, and his ex- 
perience of the world elevated him in her eyes above all 
the students of rabbinism, who knew only the Jewish 
religious literature. Their boasting of not knowing the 
languages of the Gentiles, and of being inexperienced in 
worldly matters, some of them in such a degree that 
they knew not to distinguish one coin from another, 
could not pervert Rachel’s feminine instinct which re- 
quires of the stronger sex strength and experience suffi- 
cient to protect the weaker one. 

The last, but surely not the least reason of her admir- 
ation for Hayim Salensky was the uniform he used to 


76 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


wear while traveling as an officer of the Czar. 

What girl can stand the temptation attached to a 
uniform, — she may be English, German, or Jewish — ! 
The uniform is the serpent of the modern Evas. 

The faultless black coat with the red collar and pol- 
ished brass buttons used to intoxicate the young head 
of the inexperienced Rachel so that she used to be be- 
wildered in her mind for hours every time after Salensky’s 
leaving their house. 

But with all her admiration for him the thought never 
came to her that there was a possibility of her becom- 
ing Salensky’s wife. She knew he was a great sinner, 
and thus shrunk from the thought of marrying a man 
who would have to suffer in Ge-Hinnom ( hell ) , — the Lord 
knows how long — maybe forever. But she could not 
help but admire him, and always thought, when- 
ever she married, her future companion must look like 
Hayim Salensky. 


While we cannot describe otherwise than admiration 
what Rachel felt for the excise agent, we have to call 
what he felt for her love. When he saw that the beauti- 
ful Rachel was not indifferent toward him he argued 
she loved him; and thus the strongest affections a man 
can feel for a beloved woman were called forth in him 
toward her. 

He had much experience with the fair sex of the Gentile 
world; he had many friends among them, but never 
loved one, and accurately thought never to be able to 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


77 


love a Gentile woman. 

Hayim Salensky grown up to manhood used often to 
wonder how it was possible that the angels of his youth 
— referring to the beautiful Polish ladies he saw dancing 
at the ball in the for him so eventful night — had so 
changed, and had become human when he was priv- 
ileged to approach them. He used to think the Gentile 
women good enough for him to pass away the time in 
their society, but not to love. 

For nothing in the world could he marry a Gentile 
girl. The thought of marrying a Gentile and bringing 
forth children who would mingle with the lower classes 
of the Gentiles, and become degraded like them used to 
shock him. 

Sometimes Hayim would recall to his memory the 
glorious past of his race, and think of the brilliant ex- 
pectations yet before them. 

‘‘How is it possible,” would he then say to himself, 
“how could I marry a Gentile and see my children be- 
come Gentiles! — The Messiah might soon come, and all 
Jews go back to their own land, and become the most 
blessed nation in the world; but my children and chil- 
dren’s children would have to pass through all the trib- 
ulations foretold by Israel’s wise for the Gentiles before 
they can be saved. 

Hayim was not as pious a Jew as the most of his 
race, but he was a Jew after all. Nothing in the world 
could destroy the principles of Judaism deeply rooted 
and nourished in his heart. 

When he used to see Roman Catholics kneel to images 


78 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


the second of “The ten commandments” used to come 
forcibly into his mind. He knew it by heart in the 
original Hebrew language, and remembered well the 
explanatory teachings of the elders, and the laws and 
rules given by them in reference to that law. 

Nor could he forget his early training by father and 
mother that he might be kept from committing the 
horrible sin of idolatry. It was yet fresh in his mind 
how his father or mother seeing their little son kneeling 
while playing with the other children would tell him to 
stand up or sit down, for a Jew should never kneel to 
wooden toys as Gentiles do. 

When Hayim grew up and became a man, and 
mingled with the Gentiles probably more than any 
other Jew of that section of the country, his strict 
Jewish training clung to him yet. 

Many a time noticing Polish peasants bowing to the 
image of the “Virgin” made of wood or metal, or kneel- 
ing before priests of a higher rank, and kissing the hem of 
their garments, would he turn from this sight with 
disgust, and lifting his eyes to heaven exclaim: 

“Who is like Thy people Israel.” 

“One nation on the earth!” 

He then would vow to return to the God of his fore- 
fathers and become a good Jew. 

“I am wicked,” used Hayim to say to himself, “but I 
will marry a Jewess, and begin a new life as a Jew.” 

Among all the Jewish girls Hayim Salensky knew 
Rachel was the most precious to him, probably on ac- 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


79 


count of her exceptional beauty. He could not think 
himself and Rachel once united as husband and wife, be- 
cause he knew her parents to be so very pious, and that 
she herself never knew to be different. He also knew 
the general opinion of the Jews about him, and that 
Rachel must be influenced by it. But, after all, he was 
happy to know that she had in her heart some room, 
small or large, for him. 

Rachel, on the other hand, when she understood 
through his behavior that he loved her felt flattered 
and was pleased with it. She then began to feel to- 
ward him something more than admiration, and final- 
ly unconsciously arrived at the boundaries between ad- 
miration and love. One of the reasons why she could 
not overstep the boundaries into the for young people 
so very natural land of love might have been the strict 
watchfulness the pious Jews keep over their young 
people. Rachel could see Salensky only a few minutes 
at a time, and that only in the presence of a third 
person, whom the pious choose to show his importance 
by naming him in the Hebrew tongue — ‘‘shomer,^’ 
which means nothing less than ‘^a watcher.^’ 

They used to have like other lovers their rendezvous, 
but in a place where they could not caress each other 
very well. — It must have been a strange place;— must it 
not? — In deed it was. Namely, when Rachel under- 
stood that Salensky was to pass through a certain 
door she used to post herself on the threshold, and he 
passing would say in the Russian: 

‘‘Dushinka moya (my dear soul).” 


80 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


My kind listener will remember in the night when 
Rabl3i Shmarl conferred with Joshna and Eva about 
the match that Rachel tried to overhear their talk, but 
did not succeed. She knew what the match maker’s 
visit meant, but could not make out who the young 
man was he was proposing. She heard the words 
' ‘good, looking” repeatedly vSpoken by her father and 
mother, but did not know in which connection these 
attractive words were used. After thinking one way 
and another she came to the for her so pleasant thought 
that the young man proposed by Rabbi Shmarl was 
beautiful. 

After Rachel’s active mind ceased to be employed with 
the finding out in which reference the words “good 
looking” were used her imagination began to work 
vividly at giving the beautiful young man shape and 
form. 

“How does the beautiful young man look?”" she 
would ask herself often; and since her acquaintance with 
men was very limited, and no man stood her as nigh 
as Salensky, whom she admired, she finally gave her- 
self the answer: “He looks like Salensky.” 

She imagined the young man tall, beautiful, vigorous, 
and of an heroic dispostion, — endowed with a sharp 
mind, and possessing a deep and wide knowledge of the 
holy doctrine so that he was able to confound even the 
greatest rabbis. After all, her imagination, as vivid as 
it was, could not give her a definite idea of his scholar- 
ship, since this intellectual achievement was to her an 
unknown world, but it gave her a very clear idea of the 


AN UNEXPPXTED ATTACHMENT. 


81 


stature of the j^oung gentleman of her own creation. 
Asleep or awake, — in dreams, meditations, or reveries, 
she used to see before her her future bridegroom formed 
after the model of Salensk^^ And as the days and 
nights were passing her interest in Salensky grew, un- 
til she became with her whole soul attached to him. 
She would show it — though in a mute way because of 
the watchfulness of her mother over her children — in her 
conduct in his presence, so that he had not to be any 
more too imaginative, in order to draw the conclusion 
that she loved him. 

Thus encouraged the former impossibility of RachePs 
becoming his wife changed with him to a possibility, and 
the shrewd excise agent began to think about ways and 
means to get her, if necessarj^, even against the will of 
her parents. 

Rachel had not such advanced thoughts; she loved 
him, but to marry him was with her an impossibility yet^ 
He was to her what a picture of a friend is to a friend. 
The latter becomes attached to it, he would not miss it 
for any price, but, after all, it is not the picture that he 
loves. It is the person who is congenial with him he 
becomes attached to, — in whom he finds so much of 
what he has already in his own character, or of what 
he needs have that he feels compelled by natural laws 
to regard him as a piece of himself, — as a friend. 

Rachel became attached to the worldly Salensky on 
account of his having something in common with her 
ideal bridegroom, but she knew that she must not think 
of him more than onedoesof hisfriend’slikenesspainted. 


82 


Ax\ UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


photographed, or chiseled. She was prepared to lose 
it one da^^, but only then when she will come into the 
possession of the original, which would amply repay 
her for her loss. For the man with whom she was 
going to live united in wedlock was in her imagination, 
bodily and mentally Salensky’s equal, but spiritually 
far, far, superior to him. 

We can now imagine how much disappointed poor 
Rachel must have felt on the engagement eve, when she 
was led into the man’s department to see her bride- 
groom, and lo, there stood before her a human figure 
against which she always had a strong aversion, espe- 
cially since she knew Salensky. — Phinehas was a delicate 
looking young man, pale of face, and nothing of the 
present world in his manners. He looked yet more 
sanctimonious than the students she used to see in her 
native village, to whom to prefer the bright excise agent 
she never hesitated a moment. 

The poor girl saw her sacred ideal suddenly broken to 
pieces, and her presence of mind ought to be admired 
that she showed not her disappointment more openly 
than she really did. While in the inn among the merry 
engagement celebrators Rachel did not feel the whole 
weight of her disappointment, but when at home, 
especially when she was left alone, she could not help 
but weep over her destroyed illusions. 

After they had returned from the engagement celebra- 
tion the others of Joshua’s family tired from the mani- 
fold operations of that day slept soundly, but Rachel 
kept awake the whole night. She lay in bed sighing, 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


83 


and wetting her pillow with tears so that in the morn- 
ing she had to change the pillow case, in order that her 
mother might not find it out. 

Still she could not keep her grief in secret very long. 
Father and mother noticing that she was gradually 
wasting away became conscious of the fact that Rachel 
had trouble. They could not understand the real reason 
of it, as it is an unheard of thing in Israel that a girl 
should question the propriety of marrying a young man 
of Phinehas’ piety and learning. On the contrary, the 
thought occurred to both parents that their daughter’s 
grief came from her desire to see him to whom she was 
in a certain sense bound. 

^Tf this should be the cause of her grief,” said one day 
Joshua to Eva, “we will soon cure it.” 

He called one of his laboring men and sent him with a 
message to Rabbi Isaac requesting him to send his son 
to T. for a visit. 

Had Rabbi Isaac sent his son at once the anxious 
Joshua would soon have found out whether his remedy 
was the right one to cure Rachel’s malady, and probab- 
ly would have discovered what her grief really meant, 
but Destiny would not have it so. The messenger came 
back without the bridegroom. He brought a letter from 
Rabbi Isaac, in which he told that his son was not yet 
prepared to visit, but would be ready and glad to see 
his bride and her venerable parents in about four weeks. 

Rachel, as described, was in a bad condition; so was 
Hayim Salensky. When he heard of her engagement he 


84 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


was near to despair; — his dearest and most cherished 
hope was gone. In anger he swore to take vengeance 
on Joshua Yirmiah’s. 

“I will teach him a lesson/’ thought the excise agent; 
“he shall pay in the future every cent duty he has to 
pay according to the excise law; he shall experience no 
kindness from Salensky anymore.” 

“And that innocent Rachel showed herself in her true 
light, — that she is not as innocent as some might think 
her to be. The women,” came he in despair to the con- 
clusion, “are altogether untrustworthy in the matter of 
love; they love only when it seems profitable for them- 
selves.” 

After his anger was calmed the happy thought came 
to him to go to T. and find out for himself, if all hope of 
making Rachel his wife was really lost as it seemed to be. 

He did not wait for the regular two week’s appoint- 
ment, but hurried to T. at once; and how surprised was 
he to find that Rachel not only had not changed her 
lovable behavior toward him, on the contrary, that she 
showed now greater attachment to him than before. 

Of course, neither could he ask her nor she tell him 
how she felt since they could not see each other without 
a watcher (the presence of a third person), but the ex- 
perienced Salensky could read her mind. When he saw 
her in a corner of the large sitting room and frequently 
looking Up from her work to him, there was something 
in her look that caused him to compare her with a 
tender vine bending toward the nearest strong post to 
find support. 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


85 


“What does it mean ?“ asked Sal ensky of himself, and 
suspicion came into his mind that the engagement 
might have been against her will, and she might feel 
miserable, and thus is in great need of my counsel. 

But how find it out ? 

Salensky, though not versed in the scholastic Thal- 
mud as the other Jews, was not on this account less 
shrewd; he never failed to find some means to help him- 
self. 

He knew that Rachel would place herself at the door 
which he had to pass. Thus he wrote on a small piece 
of paper the following few words: 

Write me. — Address: — And he handed it 

to her. 

Next day he received from her the following lines: 

“Excuse; I could not write a long letter unobserved. 
— You are mine all. If possible, help, but soon; for he 
whom I dislike is soon coming. — Rachel.^’ 

After reading these lines he rose and without hesi- 
tating a moment went back to T. 

Joshua wondered very much to see the excise agent 
so soon again at his place, but had no reason for sus- 
pecting that it had some connection with his family 
affairs. 

Passing through the door Salensky handed Rachel, 
unnoticed by any member of the household, this time 
quite a long letter. He told her in it she need not fear, 
she should trust in him, for he loved her with his whole 
soul; — and that she should be present next day at eleven 
o’clock in the night at her father’s wagon house. 


86 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


Rachel was now sure that her hero had some plan 
for rescuing her from the man she did not love. But 
the question arose in her, was she safe in the care of a 
man whom all Jews hate? — He was comparatively 
strange to her; they had not spoken more than a dozen 
times to each other. — What will he do with her after 
giving herself into his arms? — This she could not tell. 
Yet she had admiration and a liking for him, but only 
horror for the young man to whom her father bound 
her by taking part in the shaking of the kerchief after 
-the engagement writ was read. She therefore con- 
cluded at last to follow his advice and be present at the 
appointed time at the wagon house. 

Driving from T. Salensky was much disturbed in his 
mind. He felt like the inventor or discoverer in the first 
stages of the developement of their ideas. First, he 
doubted the .success of his plan, and second, he was not 
clear himself in regard to some details of it. 

After he had driven a half hour he came to a crossing 
of three roads, one of which led to S. where he knew his 
Rachel’s betrothed lived, and instinctively reined his 
horse that direction. When he reached the village he 
concluded to stay there until next day, when he would 
go back to T. for the rendezvous with Rachel. He 
took lodging at an inn near Rabbi Isaac’s house, in 
order no circumstance useful to him for the advance- 
ment of his undertaking should escape his knowledge. 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


87 


As already related Raehel had not felt well sinee she 
eame home from the engagement; but to-day, after re- 
ceiving the last eommunieation from Salensky, though 
she sueeeeded in hiding her agitations from the members 
of the household, was nevertheless exceedingly ner\^oiis 
so that she was not able to sleep in the night. In the 
morning, the parents were alarmed over her paleness. 
They tried to find out from her what ailed her, but, as 
many times before, she did not say a word. 

The father thought to eall a physician, but the mother 
prevented him, telling him to wait a few hours longer; 
she might recover during that time. 

'‘We must be very cautious,” said Eva, “about letting 
other people know of our trouble; it might bring upon 
us greater trouble yet. Rabbi Isaac would think 
Rachel sickly and consequently annul the engagement.” 

But Rachel did not recover; on the contrary, the 
nearer the time for her meeting Salensky drew the more 
alarming became her condition. She was evidently 
fading away; and Joshua felt now compelled to go to 
the doctor. For the reason given before by Eva 
Joshua did not invite him to see the patient, but told 
him the symptoms of her ailment, and his own opinions 
how it might have originated. 

The doctor agreed with Joshua that her malady was 
due to a mental struggle, and counseled him to send for 
the bridegroom. 

Joshua followed his advice and sent at once his coach- 
man to S. with a letter, in which he asked Rabbi Isaac 
by all means to send Phinehas with the man carrying 


88 


AN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT. 


the missive. — “Rachel seems to have a longing to see 
him,” set Joshua forth, “and there is reason to believe 
'that she will fall ill, if he fails to come.” 

“Yankel (pet name for Jacob)” said Joshua anxiously 
to the driver before he started, “if you bring the hathan 
(bridegroom), you shall have double beer-money, — 
from me and Rachelen (pet name for Rachel).” 

“You may be sure. Rabbi Sheah,” said Jacob, “I shall 
not come back without him.” 

Joshua felt consoled; for he knew he could depend 
on the promise of his faithful servant. — 


THE FUTURE RABBI IX LOVE. 


89 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVE. 

When Rabbi Isaac with his family arrived home from 
the engagement he urged Phinehas to go at once to 
bed, in order not to oversleep the morning worship in 
the synagogue. The son followed his father’s advice, 
— but, like Rachel, could not sleep. 

The cause of his sleeplessness was quite different from 
Rachel’s. She could not sleep because of her grief that 
her ideal of a life’s conpanion was destroyed, but him 
kept awake the thoughts over his indescribable fortune. 

All he once wished for was now more than fulfilled. 
He soon will have the rich Joshua Yirmiah’s as father- 
in-law, — Eva, by the whole Jewish world known for 
her kindness, as mother-in-law, — and, above all, that 
girl with the angelic face, whose name is Rachel — a very 
attractive name to every Jewish child — as his wife. 

It seems it was his reveries of Rachel that took all 
sleep from him. The whole night not once came to him 
a thought of the various occurrences of the day. He 
remembered neither the examination he passed, nor the 
successful speech he made — neither the palatable dishes 
at the engagement supper, nor the frolic behavior of the 
celebrators; for Rachel the central figure, had wiped 
them out of his memory. 

If somebody had told him that he had fallen in love 
with Rachel, he would have denied it, because it is a sin 
to love a woman; nevertheless he was not himselt any- 
more; — he was changed. 


90 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVE. 


Early in the morning while Phinehas was yet in bed 
his mother was the first one to greet him kissing him 
heartiW, and pra^dng down upon him heavenly 
blessings. 

When he rose he found his good old father sitting be- 
fore a heavy tome of the Thalmud and meditating; his 
forehead was beaming for intelligence and his face smil- 
ing for inward joy. 

Father and son then went to the synagogue, where 
the}^ were met with greetings of welcome. Nearly every 
one of the congregation came to Rabbi Isaac and 
Phinehas, and shaking hands with them said: ‘‘Mazel 
tobh (good luck)P’ 

This was one of the eight days of the Dedication 
feast, when the Jews all over the world are accustomed 
to read a portion of the Pentateuch, and some of the 
congregation are called, one after another, to the pulpit 
to listen to the reading of some verses of that portion. 
Rabbi Isaac would have been honored on that morning 
by being called first to the holy scroll, if there had not 
been some of the tribe of Levy, who still maintain some 
prerogatives in Divine service. Thus they called first 
a descendant of Aaron, a priest, then a Levite, and after 
that the old honorable teacher. 

In order not to touch the holy scroll with his unholy 
mouth or defiled hand, he took a corner of his fringe 
garment and pressed it on the first words of the verses 
to the reading of which he was to listen; and after he 
kissed the holy garment, which through the contact 
with the holy scroll became more holy than before, said 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVE. 


91 


‘‘ with a full mouth and loud voice”: 

“Blessed art Thou Jehovah our God, King of the 
universe, that Thou hast chosen us from all the nations, 
and hast given us Thy law. — Blessed art Thou Giver of 
the law!” 

He spoke each word with such emphasis and devo- 
tion that the whole congregation was moved, and not 
one while he was praying thought of anything but the 
meaning of the Hebrew words he spoke. It was only 
when the reader began to read that the attention of 
those in the audience was turned to the teacher preson- 
ally rejoy cing with him in their hearts over his son^s 
success. Noticing his neighbors’ kind participation in 
his happiness his own joy increased to overflow, and he 
was moved to tears. 

After the chanter finished reading Rabbi Isaac again 
touched the last words read with his fringe garment, 
kissed it, and spoke, this time with a tremulous but 
loud voice: 

“Blessed be Thou Jehovah our God, King of the uni- 
verse, that Thou hast given us the true doctrine, and 
hast planted among us life eternal. Blessed art Thou, 
Giver of the law.” 

All answered, “Amen!” 

After the reading out of the Pentateuch Phinehas’ 
uncle — his mother’s eldest brother — was called to hold 
up the partly unrolled scroll before the congregation, 
in order that the faithful might have one more chance 
to look at the words of the holy writ before it is rolled 
together and returned into the ark of the covenant. 


92 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVF. 


With the help of his grandson, a youth of about four- 
teen, who was invited to assist him in rolling it together, 
Hannah’s brother, — feeble in body, but strong in spirit, 
— lifted the hea\w parchment scroll, and holding it up 
before the eyes of the children of Israel turned about, in 
order that all in the s\magogue might be able to look 
at the hoh^ writing. 

Devotion causes increase of devotion. When the 
worshippers saw his painstaking for them they showed 
themselves appreciative. Bending forward toward the 
far off scroll they tried to see some words on it, and 
closed the procedure by chanting: 

“This doctrine given to us is the true doctrine, com- 
ing from the mouth of God through Moses.’’ 

After the scroll was rolled together a ^^ounger brother 
of Rabbi Isaac was invited to open the ark of the cove- 
nant, wherein many rolls of the law, old and new ones, 
were treasured, and one of Hannah’s cousins was hon- 
ored with the invitation to place the just used scroll into 
the shrine. 

Thus the attention of the entire Jewish community of 
S. was taken up with the new occurrence in the teacher’s 
family; and in a few days, in spite of lack of railroads, 
and notwithstanding the slowness of the post, every 
Jew of the neighboring villages knew that Phinehas 
Rabbi Isaac’s was engaged to Rachel Joshua Jere- 
miah’s. 


On the following Sabbath Phinehas was crowned 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVE. 


93 


with many honors. 

After the last listener to the reading of the Pentateuch 
had made his closing prayer, and the holy scroll had 
been held up before the congregation and rolled together, 
and the chanter had recited one of the most holy 
prayers, the bridegroom was called to read a portion of 
the Prophets. 

The young man was quite proud of the compliment, - 
with good reason. For that Sabbath is an extraordi- 
nary one, and only extraordinary people are invited to 
the pulpit while reading out of the Pentateuch; but only 
one of the choicest Jews can have the honor to read the 
chapter of the Prophets prescribed by the rabbis for that 
day. 

Not having been married yet Phinehas had no fringe 
garment of his own, and thus was compelled to borrow 
one, in order to be lawfully equipped for performing his 
functions. He thought to take the one his father was 
wearing, but promptly a rich young married man offer- 
ed him his more elegant one, which Phinehas thanking 
accepted. He looked extremely spiritual while stand- 
ing before the holy scroll wrapped in the snow white 
silken garment with the broad silver headpiece. 

He chanted the scriptures so well, precisely after 
the accentuation, that the men enjoyed his reading this 
time as never before, and the women wished themselves 
sons with his accomplishments. 

He was also asked to give a discourse in the afternoon, 
to which he gladly consented. The sexton gave it out 
with much force, and forgetting himself called Phinehas 


94 


[the future rabbi in love. 


in his annonncement “harabh ( rabbi ) 

Referring to the sexton’s slip of the tongue Hannah in 
the woman’s appartment solemnly said: 

“From his mouth into God’s ears! — May he indeed 
be a rabbi 1” 

After the morning service another announcement was 
made, namely, that Rabbi Isaac had invited the whole 
congregation to “benediction” (to things benedictions 
are spoken upon, refreshments). 

This was a very agreeable announcement to the 
worshippers, who had been now for three hours engag- 
ed in Divine service without having their breakfast. 

All followed the invitation; for the old teacher knew 
everybody and everybody knew him, and all were his 
friends. 

The discourse in the afternoon was a success. 

Phinehas was one of the few Thalmudists who beside 
a profound knowledge of the laws of Judaism possess 
the ability to appreciate homiletical work, and can do 
it themselves. He showed it in the discourse. 

He had in it two main divisions: 

“Halochoh,” — and “Brush.” 

(Law, — and Homily). 

In the first part he discussed upon problems of the 
laws touching the feast they were then celebrating, lay- 
ing before the audience perplexing questions concerning 
the ceremonies, as the lighten of candles, the extra 
prayers, etc., and giving himself sharp, complicated an- 
swers on them. 

In the second division he talked on Israel as a nation, 


THE FUTURE RABBI IX EOYE. 


95 


and suddenly plunged in the to him at present para- 
mount subject, — marriage life, — comparing family life 
with national, and showing their dependence upon each 
other. 

He closed his three hours long discourse about as follows: 

‘‘Son,^’ in the Hebrew is, ‘‘ben, ’’-and, “daughter,” 
“bath”; the root of both these words means “to build.” 
Our holy language calls children by these names to teach 
that a woman who is fruitful, has children, is built up 
herself and is helping to build up our nation; but a bar- 
ren woman is a ruin to herself and causes destruction to 
God’s people. Now, brethren and rabbis ! — We celebrate 
to-day the commemoration of the conquest of our peo- 
ple over their enemies in the time of the Second temple. 
The Lord helped His people under the leadership of Judas 
Maccabaeus. They regained their liberty and rededicat- 
ed the by the Gentiles defiled house of God. — We find 
ourselves now in the condition they were in before that 
glorious conquest. We are living now in exile, dispers- 
ed among the nations of the world, — without a temple, 
in which to worship, — without a priest to intercede for 
us, — and without an altar, on which to make sacrifices 
for forgiveness of our sins. — Shall we not strive for lib- 
erty and restoration ?— Is God’s hand too short? — Is He 
not able to help usnow as Hedid then ? — You say: “We 
do all we can do. — We pray three times a day to God 
for our return to Jerusalem, but He does not answer 
our prayers.” — Have you read Isaiah? — Do you know 
what he sais in the name of the Lord ? — Hear what he 
sais: “When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide 


96 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVE. 


mine eyes from you; — yea, when ye make many prayers, 
I will not hear; — your hands are full of blood.” — You 
ask: “When did we shed blood, when did we murder? 
— Exhortor, what are you talking about?” — But you 
did it, and are doing it all the while. — I do not say you 
shoot or sla}^ people, but I say, you commit suicide. — 
The first command in the Bible is, “multiph^,” and in 
connection with this command our wise men teach that 
a man should marry at least when he is eighteen years 
old; — that no Jew should marry a woman of whom he 
is quite sure she will not bear children; that a Jew should 
send out his wife by divorce, if she should give him no 
children during the first ten years of their marriage life. 
— But how pitiful it is that you find already old bach- 
elors among the Jews in Germany. — I was astonished to 
hear of an old man in America, remember a Jewish old 
man, who has never been married. — Our neighbor Rabbi 
Nahum told me he knew of a modern rabbi in Germany 
who had no children, though he and his wife were 
already old. It seems he was satisfied even to die with- 
out devscendants. You see this man, whom apostate 
Jews call rabbi, loved his wife rather than God’s bid- 
ding. Why did he not give his wife divorce after ten 
years of a barren marriage life ? — And, our brethren, 
sirs, and rabbis, weneednotgo to America, or Germanv, 
in order to be able to explain the words of the prophet: 
“Your hands are full of blood,” We have one instance 
in our own neighborhood. — Not very far from here lives 
a man who has been married to his present wife more 
than twenty years, and has three daughters, but not 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVE. 


97 


one son. — Now, some good and learned Jews told him 
that he ought to divorce his wife and marry again, and 
endeavor at least to have two sons, in order to fulfill 
the first law of the Bible; but that Epicurean (Infidel) 
did not do it yet. — How then, sirs, and rabbis, can we 
expect that the Lord should answer our prayers, since 
our deeds contradict our creeds. — “Return, 0 Israel, to 
Jehovah thy God, for thou hast stumbled through thy 
sins.’^’’ 

And remembering the rabbinical advice never to close 
a discourse, talk, or even a conversation with ominous 
words, as, for instance, the above, ‘ ‘For thou hast 
stumbled through thy sins,“ he made the finale by 
saying: 

“Let us repent of our sins, and return to God!” — 
“And the Redeemer will come to Zion!” — “So may be His 
will!” — “Let us say, ‘Amen’ !” 


If you had asked Phinehas, if he would put away his 
Rachel after having been married to her ten years, in 
case she gave him no children, he could not say con- 
scientiously that he would. For he was so attached 
to her that he certainly could not imagine himself with- 
out her. 

If his fellow students of the sacred literature envied 
him, they thought only of his external advantages,— of 
the five thousand roubles dowry, of his new clothes 
and the golden watch and chain, which Joshua present- 
ed to him, — but they knew nothing of his inner life. 


98 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN LOVE. 


He himself thought he had something more precious 
than anything in the world, a beautiful kallah (crown- 
ed one, bride), and her name is Rachel — two thrilling 
words. 

All scholars of S. admired Phinehas^ rapid growth in 
learning, especially his ability to solve difficult rabbi- 
nical problems with a facility which set even the very 
scholarly rabbi of their community in the background. 
But they knew not of the inspiring object that was liv- 
ing in his heart, helping him to perform these miracles. 

And, indeed, he himself knew not the cause of it; for 
he was so absorbed in reveries about the second person 
within him that he had no time to look into himself, 
and study the new chapter of the science of his own 
.soul — life. 

Though he was^proud of his name, Phinehas, because 
he had it inherited from an ancestor who was a giant 
in the law, yet Rachel caused him to think of Jacob 
so much that he began to feel himself identic with 
the shepherdess^ of the Bible gallant suitor. It often 
happened, when the name Jacob was called in his hear- 
ing, that he would look up, believing, though only for 
one instant, it meant him. 

After all, he would not have exchanged places with 
Jacob of old, who — poor man! — had to serve for his 
Rachel fourteen years, while he, Phinehas, gets Rachel 
straightway, and, besides, is made rich for taking her. 

That Joshua, Rachel’s father, had red hair and a still 
redder beard troubled Phinehas a good deal. For there 
is a tradition among his kindred that Laban, the arch 


THE FUTURE RABBI IN EOYE. 


99 


mother Rachel’s father had red hair, and all who re- 
semble in complexion Jacob’s deceiver have also his 
character, and people must be on their guard when 
dealing with them. 

Phinehas, therefore, used to fear he might lose his 
Rachel after all, and have to marry the crippled Leah. 
But though these thoughts would come to him. often, 
they were never lasting, for he easily would see their 
fallacy. 

‘‘First,” used he to reason,” Rachel is the oldest, and 
thus must marry first. Besides, nobody of sense could 
think that Joshua would dare offer his cripple to a man 
of mine ability and learning. — No, — no!” would he ex- 
claim after thinking one way and another, “I, — only I, 
shall soon be united in wedlock with Rachel, — only 
with Rachel!” 


Lof C. 


100 


SAINT AND SINNER MEET. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

SAINT AND SINNER MEET. 

The kind listener will recollect that Joshua had sent 
once before a messenger for Phinehas, but he came back 
with the intelligence that the bridegroom was not pre- 
pared yet to visit. 

What preparations had he to make, as we know he 
was provided with all necessities for visiting by Joshua 
before the engagement? 

Furthermore, even if he thought he ought to make 
some provisions, how could he do it at S., as we also 
know that Rabbi Isaac was poor, and Phinehas was 
not earning anything, and thus had to depend for his 
expenses on his future father-in-law? 

The diligent student was preparing things which did 
not cost any money, nor could be bought for any 
price, discourses, which he thought to deliver at T. 
while visiting Rachel, in order that she might love him 
the more for it, and her parents might be proud of him 
the more. He thought — and it was very wise on his 
part — while in T. he would not have much time nor the 
patience for earnest study, and thus concluded to do it 
before he went there. 

Thus it happened on that same day when Rachel’s 
condition became so alarming that a doctor had to be 
consulted, yes, on that same for Rachel and her parents 
so very sad afternoon — that Phinehas was in such high 
spirits as never before. 

He was rehearsing with a friend one of his learned 


SAINT AND SINNER MEET. 


101 


discourses he expeeted to hold at T. His friend was 
simpl}^ astonished at the inventive power of Phinehas, 
and could not help telling him his admiration for him. 

While they were discussing on some points referred to 
in one of the addresses Rabbi Isaac came into the 
synagogue, walked up to the east wall, where Phinehas 
was sitting — for Phinehas delighted in sitting at the 
uppermost places — , and called him aside, which thing 
he never did when he saw his son engaged in study. 

Phinehas was first quite disturbed by his father’s un- 
accustomed conduct, but when the latter told him that 
Joshua had sent for him, because Rachel was desirous 
to see him, he felt relieved. And though the break in 
his studies came so suddenly that he felt deepty disap- 
pointed, and he also knew that he could never finish in 
T. the studies he had begun in S., yet he joyfulh^ con- 
sented to go at once to see his bride. 

Leaving his father at the place where they were 
speaking he went back to the stand at the east wall 
and closed the large, heavy Thalmud volumes, which he 
had been diligently handling for several days. He told 
his friend smilingly where he was going, and after ex- 
changing with his friend the customary greetings of 
farewell Phinehas left the synagogue accompanied by 
his for his happiness so anxious father. 

During the time Rabbi Isaac was in the synagogue 
Jacob, Joshua’s servant, was walking impatiently be- 
fore the teacher’s house, in order to keep his feet warm. 

Salensky, who was constantly watching the dwelling 


102 


SAINT AND SINNER MEET. 


place of his RachePs betrothed, saw Jacob, and walked 
up to him, trying to find out what business brought 
him to S. 

^‘Nothing special,’^ said Jacob, ‘‘the little girl is not 
well, and the doctor prescribed for her, hathan (bride- 
groom); I am now waiting for Rabbi Isaac, who went 
to the synagogue to see whether Phinehas would go 
with me or not.” 

Salensky, who was thinking to start for T. in the 
evening, in order to be present about eleven o’clock at 
Joshua’s wagon house, was frightened lest the bride- 
groom might reach T. before Rachel left the house for 
the appointed rendezvous, which mishap might end in 
the overthrow of his plans. He was first perplexed for 
some idea how to act, but when he saw through the 
window of the hotel Jacob start having the bridegroom 
behind in the sleigh, the thought came to him that he 
ought not to leave in any case the whole field free to his 
rival. Thus he arose at once, harnessed his horse and 
hitched it to the sleigh, and in company with two 
other men started for T. 

He had a very swift horse, and overtook Joshua’s 
team very soon. If Salensky had wished, he would 
have reached T. at least a half hour before Jacob; but 
as it is well known that persons who ought to be 
suspected are always trying to avoid suspicion, even if 
there is no reason for doing it, Salensky drove 
patiently behind Joshua’s slower horses, in order not 
to awaken any suspicion in Jacob. — He was not at all 
afraid of the innocent bridegroom. 


SAINT AND SINNER MEET. 


103 


Jacob, one part of whose service at Joshna^s house 
was to watch the excise agent, his going, coming, and 
whereabouts, had accustomed himself to know him by 
his steps, his drive, his cough, and knew well the ring of 
his horse’s bell. Without turning, continually driving. 
Jacob called: 

“Master Salensky ! — Are you also driving to T. ?” 

“Certainly, I do,” and jokingly the agent added: 

“I saw you start with Rachel’s bridegroom, audit 
came into my head to visit Joshua. I would like to 
meet the young man. The}^ say he is a great scholar; 
he might be able to make of me a rabbi, a righteous, 
which was the most cherished wish of my mother; — 
peace be to her !” 

All laughed at the association of the two extremely 
different ideas, “Salensky, the wicked excise agent,” 
and “rabbi,” — except Phinehas, who could not hear 
what was said, being wrapped over head and ears with 
the large collar of a very large fur overcoat, which 
Jacob took with him to keep the young man warm. 

The young Pharisee was surely satisfied not to be 
able to hear what the publican said. 

The narrator believes here the right place to entertain 
the kind listener with a short description of marriage 
among the people in whose midst all that is told in these 
pages occurred, as we have ample time while the acting 
parties are now driving on the road to T., and since 
we, though not enveloped in large fur coats like Phine- 
has, yet are not able to hear what they are talking. 


104 


TWO WAYS TO MARRY. 


CHAPTER IX. 

TWO WAYS TO MARRY. 

Marriage is to the good Jew just as great an event as 
birth and death, and weddings are celebrated ac- 
cordingly. 

The marriage day proper is a solemn holy-day to 
bride and bridegroom. It is to them just as much as 
the Day of Atonementtothe whole Jewish congregation. 
Bride and bridegroom fast and confess their sins to God, 
Who is holding on that day special judgment on them, 
and pray for forgiveness. 

On that day the bridegroom is regarded as the best 
man, and the bride as the best woman in the communi- 
ty. All men, young and old, rich and poor, wise and 
idiot, visit him, and all women of the community visit 
her. 

After the visiting time is over the bridegroom is led 
by his father and some relative, especially appointed as 
a ‘deader,” ver^^ often accompanied b}^ the rabbi, and 
followed b}^ a large number of the visitors, to the house 
where the bride sitting among her visitors is waiting 
for him “whom her soul loveth.” 

When the men, headed b}^ the bridegroom, his father, 
and “leader,” approaches the bride she drops her eyes, 
as if awaiting a great change in her life. Then the father 
and the leader, between whom the bridegroom is stand- 
ing, hold out, the one at one end, the other at the other 
end, a silken kerchief spread between bride and bride- 
groom. The bridegroom then takes it and covers with 


TWO WAYS TO MARRY. 


105 


it her head and faee, signifying that her intended com- 
munion with him forbids her to uncover her hair before 
any other man in the world. After this ceremony the 
bridegroom is led to his headquarters. 

When the women are left alone they cut off* the hair of 
the bride, in order that she might not unconsciously 
transgress the law that prohibits her to allow her hair 
to be seen by strange men. She wears the kerchief until 
next day, when she exchanges it for a nicely embroidered 
piece of silk cloth fastened with ribbons to the front 
part of the head leaving the forehead bare, as the old- 
fashioned women used to do, orfor a wig, asthemodern 
Jewesses rather choose. 

About vesper time the orator (badchen) appears at 
the headquarters of the bridegroom bringing with him 
a present from the bride for her future husband. It con- . 
sists of a fringe garment, which he wears from that 
day CA^ery day at the morning worship, — and of a plain 
white robe to wear only on high religious occasions, 
and to be wrapped in when dead. 

The orator speaks to him eloquently about these holy 
articles, and the bridegroom usually puts them on for 
the first time, and together with those present engages 
in the vesper dcA^otions. 

While the men are praying the women at the bride’s 
apartments listen to the orator, who speaks especially 
to the bride. 

After vespers the bridegroom and his suit start for the 
courtyard of the synagogue. 

They walk slowly and thoughtfully, the “leaders” on 


106 


TWO WAYS TO MARRY. 


both of his sides holding candles in their hands; and 
mnsic follows the procession. 

When the women hear the sound of the “To the 
canopy “ the bride led by father and mother or substi- 
tutes for them, and followed by a large number of her 
sex, starts also from her apartments, in the direction 
of the synagogue. 

On the courtyard of the synagogue awaits them a 
canopy held by four men, one at each post. The bride- 
groom first takes his place in the middle of it, and the 
bride, unable to find her way because of the cover over 
her face, is led to him. The “leaders” surround them, 
and the rabbi and public chanter stand near by. 

On a hint of the rabbi the bridegroom takes a golden 
ring and sais: 

“Lo, thou shalt be consecrated to meaccordingto the 
law of Moses and Israel,” and puts it onher finger. The 
chanter then reads the “writ,” in which their mutual 
relations and duties are described. The rabbi blesses 
and prays; and while the leaders and the parents, hold- 
ing lighted candles, are walking in a circle around the 
young couple the chanter chants rituals. 

Now are the two made one, and walk home together, 
and others follow their example. Husbands and wives 
walk now together to the banquet. Fast music is 
played, and people, hungry and tired, hurry to the 
wedding headquarters. 

After they are seated around the richly spread table, 
a servant having a can of water in one hand and a 
basin in the other, and a towel on his shoulder helps 


TWO WAYS TO MARRY. 


107 


the celebrators in washing their hands as bidden in 
their religion, pouring water three times over their 
hands held over the basin. A blessing is then asked, 
and they try to restore their weary bodies with good 
eating and drinking. 

The orator, who generally instead of living of his 
art — partly through the smallness of the pay received, 
and partly through love for his art — lives on it, does 
not sit at the table. He standing in the middle of the 
room entertains the guests with humorous stories, or 
hy declaiming poems composed by himself or others. 
He makes often extemporaneous speeches taking for his 
subjects the bride whose beauty and virtue he would 
praise, and the bridegroom whom he would extol for his 
talents, and the distinguished guests of whose kindness 
and knowledge of the holy learning he would tell. 

After the material part of the supper was consumed, 
and the orator had finished serving the intellectual, 
the spiritual part begins, supplied by the chanter of 
the community. He chants the rituals prescribed for 
after meals, his choir and those around the table ac- 
companying him. 

Later in the night many of the celebrators dance, the 
men in one room and the women in another. There is 
also opportunity given to the male relatives of the 
young couple to dance with the bride. 

But how can the pious uncle or cousin do it, as it is 
not allowed even to touch the hand of a woman, how 
much less to put an arm around her waist ? 

The intelligent Jews found a remedy for it. 


108 


TWO WAYS TO MARRY. 


The bride stands there holding in her hand a kerchief, 
mid the relative who is called by the orator to come 
forward and dance takes hold at one end of it and turns 
with the bride in a circle a few times. 

At this dance — which is called ‘The lawful dance’^ — 
the orator has again occasion to show his brilliant 
talents. He makes witty speeches before calling the 
names of prominent men, telling their goodness, and 
praising their ancestors 

Sometimes he begins to rhyme to the highest admira- 
tion of all present. 

He would say for instance: 

“Take you the bow,” 

“I take the fiddle;” 

“Let dance just now” 

“The good Uncle Idle.” 


Idle (pet name for Judah) then would come forward, 
take one end of the kerchief, and turn with the bride. If 
he would be of ajovial disposition, he would jump and 
try to be enthusiastic. 

Then the orator would ryhme again: 

“Take you the fiddle,” 

“Give me the bow;” 

“Old Master Needle,” 

“How 3"ou dance show.” 


Rabbi Hayim whom the Gentiles call “Master Needle,^’ 
follows the command of the orator and dances with the 
young wife of his grand-son; but on account of his old 


TWO WAYS TO MARRY. 


109 


age and feebleness he turns only once around and then 
makes place for the next one. 

When the bride feels tired of the tasks of the day she 
is ledby her ‘‘leaders/^ — generally the wives of the leaders 
appointed for the bridegroom — to a room furnished 
with two beds. Later, ‘‘the man leaders^^ lead, or asit 
is very often the case, coax the bridegroom, unobserved 
by the innocent unmarried, into the same room. 

The guests very often enjoy themselves the whole 
night. 

A second day is as a rule celebrated, when presents 
for the young couple are brought or sent. The orator 
again has the charge to entertain the celebrators. He 
speaks and rhymes on the usefulness of the presents and 
praises the respective presenters for their liberality and 
thoughtfulness . 

The greatest part of the marriage celebration usually 
ends with the second day, but there are some ceremonies 
performed on each of the following five days. 

Thus a Jewish wedding is celebrated seven days, and 
is connected with much work and pleasure. But if a 
Jew does not care for both — it is generally a bad char- 
acter — and gives a coin to an unmarried woman, and 
sais to her before witnesses: 

“Lo, thou shalt be consecrated to me according to 
the law of Moses and Israel,’^ — 
she is bound to him, if she takes it willingly. 


THE DISASTER. 


110 


CHAPTER X. 

THE DISASTER. 

About nine o’clock in the night Joshua and Eva, sit- 
ting together and conversing about their daughter’s 
condition, and discussing the time set for her marriage, 
and consulting with each other whether it would not 
be altogether better to hasten the wedding day, heard 
the familiar sound of their horses’ bells. Eager to know 
if the diridegroom had come, Joshua stepped out of 
doors, and waited for the arrival of his team. He had 
waited only a few minutes when he saw two teams 
coming into the yard, one of which he recognized as 
Salensky’s. 

He was frightened seeing the excise agent around 
again; and had there not been something to distract 
his mind, this time he would have begun to suspect. 
But when he saw the bridegroom rise out of the deep 
sleigh his attention was then turned away from the 
excise agent, who hurriedly had driven to the wagon 
house. 

When Eva, who remained in the house, heard her 
husband exchange greetings with a stranger she under- 
stood that the bridegroom had indeed come, and hast- 
ened to open the door for his entrance. 

'‘Blessed is he that cometh” (in the name of the Lord), 
said she to the guest. “I am very glad that you came, 
my dear child. — Let me help 3^ou unwrap; I am desirous 
to see your shining face again.” 


THE DISASTER. 


Ill 


After he was seated the domestics came into the room. 
The man servants shook hands with the bridegroom, 
and said: ‘‘Peace be with you !” and the maidens said 
to Eva: “With love your guest on which wish she 
answered: “With love shall you liveP^ 

Eater the nearest neighbors came to participate in 
Joshua’s happiness. 

The unfortunate Leah was also there, but was stand- 
ing in one corner of the room saying nothing. — It would 
have been wicked for her to shake hands with the young 
man, and it seemed to her awkward suddenly to ex- 
change courtesies with her mother. 

“Here is Leah, but where is Rachel, the bride ?” asked 
one of the neighbors. 

“She is very bashful, answered Eva, it would not do 
to hurry her. When the strangers are all gone she will 
come in.” 

“If so,” said the neighbor, “let us all go, — to give the 
bride chance to see her bridegroom.” 

The strangers went away at once, leaving Joshua’s 
family with the bridegroom waiting for Rachel. 


Where was Rachel? 

When Phinehas entered Rachel was in an adjoining 
room. She heard teams arrive, a stranger enter their 
house, but did not think this could be the bridegroom, 
as she knew only of the first message from her father to 
Rabbi Isaac, and the latter’s reply that his son would 
visit T. in four weeks. In the melancholic state of 


112 


THE DISASTER. 


mind, in which she then was, she did not care to know 
who the stranger was, but she accidentally overheard 
some words Phinehas spoke, and recognized the voice. 
Though she had heard it only once before, and that 
was in the speech at the engagement, she remembered it 
well, just as she could never forget his face and her dis- 
liking for it. 

She was in despair, not knowing how to avoid meet- 
ing him. 

“The time for Mr. Salensky^s arrival has not come 
yet,’’ she thought, “and may be he will not come at all, 
if he knows that the young man is here, for he will 
think his hope of rescuing me lost.” 

At last, in great agony she ran into her bedroom, 
locked the door, and went to bed just as she was with 
her clothes on. She covered herself with the feather 
beds, and resolved not to get up as long the young man 
was in the house. 

“Nothing shall cause me to come forth from my hid- 
ing place,” said Rachel to herself, “neither hunger nor 
thirst; — if they want me to meet him, they must take 
me by force.” 

She had lain there scarcely five minutes when she 
heard a sonorous voice coming from the direction of the 
wagon house. 

“It is Mr. Salensky,” said she to herself; — “is he talk- 
ing or singing? — He is singing. — I will listen.” 

Salensky was singing a familiar Jewish song the re- 
frain of which begins with the words: “Flv like a 
bird.” 


THK DISASTER. 


113 


He sang only one stanza, but repeated the refrain 
several times emphasizing the first words, ‘‘Fly like a 
bird.” 

“He tells me I should fly to him; but how? — If I try 
to reach the wagon house by the ordinary way, I 
would have to poss the room where he is now sitting 
from whom I am to fly.” 

A flash, — a revelation. — She rose and tried to open the 
window, but in vain; it was frozen and could not be 
opened. — A new inspiration; — She will break the window 
and jump through it, but there was nothing she could 
use as a tool to break it. — A new idea again. — She took 
off one of her slippers and knocked out the panes of the 
window, one by one. — But she was not better off even 
then; none of the vacated holes in the window frame 
was large enough for her body to go through. 

Thus she stood before the paneless window frame, 
hopeless, allowing the severe cold to come on her, a^ if 
she cared not any more what might become of her^ — 
whether she lived or died. 

Salensk}^, who was just then standing in the yard 
and waiting for what might turn up, heard the clatter 
of broken panes, and went in the direction whence as 
he judged, it must have come, and suddenly he found 
himself in the presence of his beloved Rachef,— only the 
frame work of a window between them. 

She seemed to him indeed like an encaged bird and 
concluded to free her. He took hold with his strong 
hands at the wooden frame, and without causing any 
particular noise tore it out of its place in the wall;— 


114 


THE DISASTER. 


and the scared bird flew to his bosom. 

He then carried Rachel in his arms over the snow to 
the wagon house. Here he let her down on the floor, 
and asked her, if she wanted to become his wife, and 
she answered, “yes.’’ 

Then turning to the men he brought with him from 
S. he said in the anscient Hebrew: 

“Be ye my witnesses!” 

He then took out of his pocket a golden eoin, and 
holding it in his hand turned to Rachel and said: 

“Lo, thou shalt be consecrated to me according to 
the law of Moses and Israel!” and gave her the coin, 
— which she took willing^. 


Meanwhile Joshua, Eva, and the bridegroom, had 
been waiting for Rachel quite a while. The father first 
became impatient, and began to seek her. He 
looked in all open rooms, but could not find her. 
Noticing the door of her bedroom shut bethought she 
might be there, and standing at the door called, 
^‘Rachel, Rachel!” — but received no answer. He then 
tried to open the door, but found it locked. Thinking 
she might he sleeping be called again louder than before, 
“Rachel, Rachel!” — but nothing was heard from with- 
in. — He became finally alarmed, took an ax and broke 
open the door. 

How astonished was he to find the bedroom without 
a window. — On the round table before the hole where 


THE DISASTER. 


115 


formerly was the window he found one of Rachel’s slip- 
pers, — a sign that she had been there. He looked 
through the vacant place in the wall and noticed steps 
imprinted in the snow leading toward the wagon 
house. “But,” said he to himself, “they are not 
Rachel’s small womanly feet; — they are the large foot 
prints of a man.” 

Joshua at once changed into a madman. He ran 
through the sitting room, by his wife, by the bride- 
groom, crying; “Woe unto me, woe! — Woe unto me, 
woe!” 

Eva, Leah, the little son were frightened, and followed 
him, leaving the aghast bridegroom alone in the house. 

When Joshua reached the wagon house and found his 
daughter standing among the three men, without 
decent clothes, bareheaded, and with only one slipper, 
he cried out of pure agony with his whole might: 

“What do you do here? — Robbers, murderers! — My 
life, — or your’s? — What do I care for excise agent! — You 
have ruined my daughter, robbers, murderers!” 

“Joshua Jirmiah’s,” began now Salensky, “you do 
not know what you are talking. — You may be sure that 
I love Rachel just as much as you do.” 

“What did I hear!” exclaimed the angry father. — Did 
you say you loved my daughter? — What right have you 
to love her? — You Goy (heathen); what right have you 
to love a woman who is not married to you? — Robbers! 
— Murderers!” 

Salensky now took on the firm official tone, of which 
he always made use when talking in the name of the 


116 


THE DISASTER. 


Czar: 

“Gospodin (Master in the Russian) Joshua son of 
Jermiah, you must know your daughter, Rachel, is now 
my wife; I have consecrated her to me as such, before 
these two witnesses.” 

When Joshua heard this he cried like an insane man: 
“You meshumad, and you meshumadeste (You annihi- 
lated man and you annihilated woman)! — Go out of 
my sight. — I will not know you any more, meshumad- 
este! — You are to me dead and buried. — Go out of my 
house!” Eva, who at any time would have been will- 
ing to sacrifice herself for the happiness of her oldest 
daughter, seemed to suffer most. She wrung her hands, 
and beat her head against the wall of the wagon house, 
and lamented as over one dead. 

When Rachel saw her mother’s sufferings she ran to 
her, embraced her, kissed her, and asked her forgiveness, 
telling her that it was not her fault, for she never could 
marry the student. 

But Joshua soon interrupted her: 

“What do you say, meshumadeste? — You could not 
marry a pious young man as Phinehas, but you could 
marry a Goy (Gentile), a meshumad? — Go out of my 
house, you and your cursed husband, — go!” 

“All right,” said Salensky. He then took off his 
large fur overcoat, wrapped his bareheaded and bare- 
footed Rachel in it, and after he had seated her in the 
sleigh drove out of the to him so familiar yard never to 
see it again. 


THE DISASTER. 


117 


Returned to the house Joshua spoke not to any per- 
son, but pacing the floor from one wall of the room to 
the other frequently lifted both hands over his head, and 
wringing them cried bitterly: 

“Woe unto me, — woe!“ 

Eva in her grief, contrary to the custom of the Jews, 
who regard it as wicked, embraced the young man, and 
kissing him told what had happened. 

For a while he stared at her, as if he were not able to 
understand what she said; but soon his eyes filled with 
tears, and burying his face in the cushion of the sofa 
on which he sat he groaned aloud. 

He then took out of his waist’s pocket the golden 
watch, Joshua’s present at the engagement, and threw 
it on the floor breaking it into small fragments. He 
also took from his neck the delicate golden watch chain 
and tore it in pieces. But when he began to tear his 
clothes from his body Joshua, holding the young man’s 
hands, reminded him of the great sin he was committing 
by destro\dng useful things, and the pious Phinehas 
yielded. 

Eva sat on the floor and mourned for her daughter, 
whom she counted for dead. Her young son seeing the 
mother weeping wept also. 

All were mourning, even the servants could not endure 
to see this sudden disaster without feeling deep pain 
over it. 

There was in the house only one person who was not 
moved as much as we would expect, — the lame Leah. 
It seems she instinctively felt that Rachel’s loss would 


118 


THE DISASTER. 


be her gain. — But as we shall see further on the gain 
was no gain. 

The elock struck the midnight hour; — it struck one, 
two, three, but they continued to lament, as if there 
were no end to their grief. 

One of the servants went and awakened some neigh- 
bors, and telling them what had happened asked them 
to come and help console the bereaved. 

The neighbors came and tried their best to bring com- 
fort to the mourners’ hearts, but did not accomplish 
much. 

Joshua ceased not from crying, '^woe, woe,” and Eva 
in the presence of those some of whom were her sj^mpa- 
thetic friends, and some malicious enemies, with increas- 
ed pain cried, ^‘a h urban on me (disaster on me).” 

Through some accident the attention of those in the 
house was turned to the young man, who lay motion- 
less on the sofa, his face turned down, and his body 
rolled together in the fashion of a ball. They thought 
first that he was dead, but when they turned him OA^er so 
that they could see his face they found him alive, but he 
was idiotically staring at them not uttering a word. 
They thought, according to all symptoms, his speech 
organs were paralyzed, and called a physician. 

The doctor expressed his opinion that his speech will 
return, but it w^ould seem to him almost a miracle, if 
the sudden shock did not hurt the young man’s brain 
or heart. 


THE DISASTER. 


119 


The day began to dawn. Joshua exhausted dropped 
on a bed and fell asleep. Also Eva, still sitting on the 
floor and sobbing, dropped her weary head on her knees 
for rest, using her palms for pillows. The young man 
was the only one who showed no sign of recovery. 

Early in the morning, Jacob made again the way to 
S. and back, bringing with him Rabbi Isaac and his 
wife Hannah. 

Phinehas^ parents tried every means to bring their 
son to his senses again, but were not able to do so; he 
looked at them with the indifference of a statue. 

The old teacher, with tears wetting his wrinkled 
cheeks, turned his face from his son in despair. Hannah, 
to whom Phinehas was all in all, covering his face with 
kisses begged of him to say something, to speak, if only 
one word, but she like her husband before her had to 
give it up. A few minutes later you could see her in one 
of the side rooms pacing the floor to and fro, wringing 
her hands, and crying: ‘‘A break to me, a break to me; 
a thunder has struck us!^’ 

After the morning service in the synagogue. Rabbi 
Shmarl accompanied by the chief rabbi of T. came. 
Rabbi Joshua awoke, and Eva rose from the floor, and 
the rabbi talked to the mourners. He reminded them 
of the holy doctrines bearing on the condition they 
were in. 

He recalled to their mind the exemplary Rabbi 
Nahum Gam-Zu, who wms so called, because in. all 
circumstances of his life he used to say, "‘Zam zn (This 
also) is to good.^’ 


120 


THE DISASTER. 


The rabbi was yet talking when at once the attention 
of all was turned to the apparently paralyzed young 
man. He stirred a little; and a few minutes later he 
sat up; and in consideration of the presence of the rabbi 
and Rabbi Shmarl, to whom the law, “Thou shalt rise 
up before a hoary head/^ is to be applied, he rose on his 
feet. He then called for a cup of water, and after he 
had wetted his fingers said “with a full mouth and a 
loud voice” though vehementh" sobbing: 

“Blessed be the just judge!” 

All answered aloud, “Amen!” 

For joy that Phinehas had recovered they repeated to 
each other: 

“This also is to good, — this also is to good.” 


“bUHOLD it was LEAH.’ 


121 


CHAPTER XL 

“behold IT WAS LEAH.” 

Quite reconciled with the dealings of the Lord, Rabbi 
Joshua took courage and went to the place where Rabbi 
Isaac was sitting, laid his hand on the other’s shoulders, 
and looking into his face, with unstead\^ \-oice and eves 
full of tears said: 

“Rabbi Isaac, what shall we do now? — We have lost 
a child; — our dear Rachel is dead. But I have always 
regarded your son, since I have known him, as mine 
own, and it would pain me, if I had to lose him also. — 
If you go away to-day with Phinehas, I and, lam sure, 
Eva would feel, as if we had lost two children in one 
day.” 

Rabbi Isaac listened to the unhappy father with close 
attention; and though he understood at what he was 
aiming, dared not interrupt him with any proposal or 
remark. So sublime sounded to him Joshua’s present 
outpouring of his soul. 

“Idius I think. Rabbi Isaac,” continued Joshua, “it 
would be both profitable and pleasant for all concerned, 
if you would agree to leave your son with us here. — I will 
supply him with all necessities of life that he might be 
able to study our holy law without being fettered by 
the cares of this world. — Let us look upon our case, as 
if Rachel had died after marriage. 

“Of course,” responded Rabbi Isaac, “ifyou are willing 
to do this, the Lord will surely bless you for it. You 
will certainly be entitled to a share in my son’s learn- 


122 


“behold it was LEaH.” 


ing, and you will receive in heaven the reward for it. — 
It is a happy thought to me that you will live together 
like the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar. Our father 
Abraham blessing his children before he died said: 

“Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea, and he 
shall be for an haven of the ships, and his border shall 
be unto Zidon. Issachar is a strong ass couching down 
between two burdens. And he saw that rest was good, 
and the land that it was pleasant, and bowed his 
shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.” 
— Israel’s wise men teach that Zebulun, who was bless- 
ed with “the haven of the sea,” and thus became a 
mercantile tribe, went into partnership with Issachar, 
who was destined for “rest,” — for pleasant meditation 
about higher things. The one, explain the rabbis, pro- 
vided the secular means for living, and the other one 
undertook the cares pertaining to eternal life.” 

Already at the outset of this learned expOvsition 
Joshua knew what will be said, and thus not feeling the 
need of listening was thinking; but when Rabbi Isaac 
had finished, he slowly and meditatively added to what 
he had said before: 

“Of course I shall have to lose him one day, may be 
soon. He is a marriageable young man, and may soon 
marry and go to his father-in-law.” 

So speaking Joshua’s face was covered with gloom, 
and he dropped into silence for a while, but soon rallied, 
and continued: 

“Why do we try to look into the hidden future? — It is 
enough for us to act according to our present knowl- 


“behold it was LEAH.” 


123 


edge/^ 

While he was talking Rabbi Shmarl watched him 
closely and was impressed with the thought that 
Joshua was very attached to the young man, and drew 
the very correct conclusion that the longer Phinehas 
stayed with him, the more difficult would be their 
parting. 

The sympathy the match maker had for Joshua 
brought him to a very bold idea. 

“Brothers and Masters,’^ exclaimed he excitedly, ‘T 
have a plan, and, as I think, a good one. — Rachel is 
lost, — dead, and we are not able to resurrect her; but 
Rabbi Joshua has another daughter; — why not give her 
to Phinehas? — She has a defect, we all know that, but 
she is a modest girl, and will make some day a righteous 
mother in Israel. May be the Lord has ordained all 
that happened last night, in order that the down trod- 
den Leah might be exalted. ‘ 

When Hannah, Phinehas’ mother, heard of the plan 
she turned her face aside, expressing by it her disap- 
proval. 

Joshua and Eva, of course, were pleased with the pro- 
posal, but were afraid to show any interest in it, lest 
Phinehas and his parents would lose confidence in them. 

When Rabbi Shmarl saw that the whole matter was 
left with himself he became bolder yet, and turned to 
Rabbi Isaac asking him what he thought of it. 

Rabbi Isaac answered: 

‘T have seen the girl; it is not as bad with her as I 
thought before I saw her. She is only a little lame, but 


124 


“BEHOLD IT WAS LEAH. 


Otherwise healthy looking. — Still I would not approve 
or disapprove; it is a delicate matter; I think Phinehas 
must decide for himself.” 

The match maker then turned to Hannah asking her 
opinion. 

She began to weep and dry her wet eyes with her 
handkerchief, and grievoush" said that she never thought 
her darling son, such a scholar would have to descend 
so low as to marr\' a ciipple, whom even a good shoe- 
maker would not take. — “But,” she closed, “I am will- 
ing, if God has so ordained, to say wdth Rabbi Xahum 
Gam-Zu, — ‘gam zu (this also) is to good.’ ” 

Rabbi Shmarl then went to Phinehas, who was sit- 
ting at one end of the sofa with drooped head. 

“You did hear, my son,” addressed him Rabbi Shmarl, 
“what we were talking?” 

Phinehas did not answer. 

“Phinehas, my boherl (elect one), I know your delight 
is in the law of the Lord, and your desire is to stud}' it 
day and night.” 

Phinehas nodded, affirming the match maker's state- 
ment. 

Rabbi Shmarl then continued: 

“But you must consider that your father is a poor 
old teacher; — he can not give you anything; on the con- 
trary, he needs to be helped, if possible, b}' you. — Thus 
you will have to depend on alms, — on what other men 
may give you. It is true. Rabbi Joshua is willing to 
keep you, still he is only a stranger to you now.” 

Here Joshua interrupted Rabbi Shmarl hastily. 


“behold it was LEAH.” 


125 


“Rabbi Shmarl, do not talk so; I shall never feel a 
stranger to Phinehas; he will be to us now instead of 
two children; he will be our consolation for the loss of 
Rachel.’’ 

“God bless the righteous!” exclaimed Rabbi Shmarl, 
.“I never saw a man like Rabbi Joshua. — I tell 3"ou, my 
child, it would be a great honor for any Jewish child to 
be Joshua’s son-in-law. — Now, sa^-, m^^ dear boy, would 
you marry Leah, in order to be bound to this house, — 
to such a generous man as Rabbi Joshua, and such a 
kind hearted righteous woman as Eva, — by the cords of 
relationship ?” 

After a few seconds of silence, waiting for some re- 
sponse from Phinehas, the match maker continued: 

“Phinehas, you are a scholar; — ^\"Ou are wise ; — yon 
must consider, after you have been with Joshua, the 
Lord knows how long, that you would commit a sin, 
if you would allow his daughter to be given to a man 
ignorant of the law. — You know well the sa\dng of our 
wise: 

“When a man gives his daughter to an ignorant man 
it is just as bad as if he had given her to be torn to 
pieces by a lion.” ” 

Phinehas had not changed yet his position on the 
sofa; he sat there \"et wuth drooping head, not speak- 
ing a word. 

Rabbi Shmarl felt compelled to make his inquiry more 
direct: 

“Phinehas, my son, would you be willing to mar 1*3^ 
Leah? — Sa\^ ‘3"es,’ or ‘no.’ ” 


126 


“behold it was LEAH.” 


And Phinehas nodded 

“Who will give me a kerchief cried aloud the match 
maker, “I left mine at home.’^ 

When Eva saw that the men were going to per- 
form the ceremony of agreement she said: 

“Do not hurry, Rabbi Shmarl; let us call Leah and 
ask her. — Of course, there cannot be any doubt about 
her approval, still, as it seems that the new generation 
has new ideas about marriage, let us hear what she has 
to say. Our Rachel’s misfortune makes me now more 
cautious, as the saying is: 

“A person once scalded with hot blows on cold.” ” 

And: “After loss comes wisdom,” threw inaneighbor 
woman. 

Hannah: 

“An addition to all my troubles!— To ask Leah 
whether she would be satisfied with Phinehas ! — What 
has she to boast of? — Probably of her lame foot?” 

“Wife,” said Rabbi Issac, “I cannot understand you. 
You have been reading the Dutch Pentateuch these 
many years, and you do not know that Rebekah was 
asked whether she was willing to go with Abraham’s 
servant to marry Isaac.” 

Hannah: 

“It was Laban — may his name and memory be blot- 
ted out — who did the asking. I never knew a Jewish 
daughter who was asked whether she was willing to 
marry a certain man. — I was not asked whether I 
would marry mine Isaac; I was satisfied with my 
parents’ choice;— may they have a bright paradise !” 


“behold it was LEAH.' 


127 


Meanwhile Rabbi Shmarl got a kerchief, and holding 
it in his raised hand cried: 

‘'Silence! — Silence! — Masters! — Silence! — Let the rabbi 
decide!’^ 

Rabbi: 

“ Rebek ah ^s case teaches us that we must have the 
consent of the bride before marriage, but there is cer- 
tainly no sin in asking the approval of the intended 
bride before the engagement.’^ 

Leah was then called and asked whether she was 
willing to be married to Phinehas. 

“Yes !” exclaimed she boldly. She looked very sur- 
prised, as if she never thought of such a fortune coming 
to her. 

Rabbi Shmarl then once more gave one end of the 
kerchief to Joshua and the other to Rabbi Isaac, and 
taking it back cried: 

“With mazel ! — With mazel!” 

Some of the women fell in with Rabbi Shmarl, but 
correcting him said: 

“With more mazel ! — With more mazel!” — meaning to 
express their wish, that the bereaved family may have 
with this engagement more luck than they had with the 
first one. 

After the enthusiasm of “mazel tobh (good luck)” 
wishing was over Joshua took up the attention of all 
in the room by addressing Rabbi Isaac. 

“Last night,” said he, “just before your son’s arrival 
I was talking with my wife about our Rachel’s wed- 
ding. Of course it would have been wiser to talk about 


128 


“behold it was LEAH.’’ 


her burial; but ignorant as I was of Satan’s workings 
in my house I told Eva it may be best to have the wed- 
ding soon, if possible this week. — I have always been 
an opposer of putting off marriages. — Now Rabbi Isaac, 
after we have your consent that Phinehas should marry 
Leah, I would not wait long for the wedding. — You 
know the proverb: ‘A beaten dog show no stick.’ — I 
am afraid lest Satan might lay some stumbling block 
in the way.” 

“You are right. Rabbi Joshua, ’’said Rabbi Isaac, “do 
just as you think it best.” 

“I propose, therefore,” continued Joshua, “that you 
and your wife should not leave T. until our children are 
married. — Am I not right, Eva, my wife?” queried 
Joshua, turning from the old teacher toward the place 
where Eva sat. 

“May the Lord add his blessing!” answered Eva, 
who had meanwhile brightened up, and was now busy- 
ing herself with keeping Hannah in good spirits. 

“Let us now come to a close,” continued Joshua after 
he had turned back to Rabbi Isaac. “To-day is Wed- 
nesday; — stay with us over Sabbath (Saturday )1 and' 
let us celebrate the wedding on Sabbath eve (Friday). 
— We can not be hindered in executing our purpose 
through lack of means, for the Lord has given me the 
means to provide at once all that is necessary for giv- 
ing a child in marriage. — Besides, Leah has inherited 
the whole bridal outfit from her sister Rachel. — May the 
Lord help us this time ! — May He bless our children 
that “they may see children and children’s children 


“behold it was LEAH.” 


129 


grow up unto the knowledge of the law, unto marriage, 
and unto good deeds ! 

‘^Amen!^^ responded the men. 

‘^May it be so! — From his mouth into Thy ears. 
Daddy Father iii heaven prayed the women. 

Rabbi Shmar.' hastened away and after a few 
minutes came back with a bottle of liquor and honey 
cake. The first glass was given to the Rabbi, who 
also asked the first blessing. Not all could drink the 
sharp liquor, which, as they thought, was made for 
the Russians, but all enjoyed the sweet cake. 

While eating the bereaved Eva felt quite comfortable, 
and even Hannah gradually became reconciled to the 
thought that her son Phinehas, the great scholar, who 
is more angel than man, was to marry Leah, the 
cripple. 

Later in the forenoon the visitors went to their 
respective homes, except Rabbi Isaac and his wife who 
consented to stay with Joshua until after the wedding. 


On the following Friday the wedding took place. 
It was not in the full Jewish sense celebrated. Only the 
most necessary ceremonies were performed, and the 
same without much feeling. Neither bride nor bride- 
groom were extensively visited. Oratory had no place 
at that wedding, and music was used only for leading 
the small procession, consisting of the fathers and 
mothers of the couple, and of the nearest relatives, to 
the synagogue and back. 


130 


“behold it was LEAH.’’ 


There was no banquet given, only an ordinary 
supper for the relatives and the poor of T. 

The bride and bridegroom sat side by side at the 
table, but spoke not to each other. Phinehas looked 
like a convalescent after a severe sickness. 

Joshua and Eva sat near the young couple. They 
ate, but seemed not to know what they did. Joshua 
was so overwhelmed with grief that he scarcely could 
prevent his tears from mingling with his meat. 

Neither Rabbi Isaac nor Hannah sat at the table; 
he was sick and she was nursing him. 

On the following day, the Sabbath, the young couple 
were “led^^ to the synagogue. First was the old Rabbi 
Isaac called to listen to the reading of the Pentateuch, 
then came Joshua. 

Phinehas was invited to read a portion of the 
Prophets. He did not chant it as nicely as he did on 
the Sabbath after his engagement with Rachel. While 
he was reading the closing ‘‘benediction’^ his voice 
trembled, and trying to suppress his feelings he became 
at last inaudible so that the audience not hearing the 
closing words was not able to respond with “Amen.” 
Returning from the pulpit to his seat at the east wall 
he could not withhold any longer and cried bitterh". 
The men in the synagogue were deeply moved, and in 
the woman’s apartment was not one dry eye. 

On the first day of the week, unlike all other newly 
married men during their honeymoon, who usually 
spend most of their time in the society of their young 
wives, Phinehas went to the synagogue, and threw 


“behold it was LEAH.*’ 


131 


himself with all energy into the study of that 
literature which the scholars call for its vastness ^‘Yam 
Hathalmud (Ocean of the Thalmud).” 

He continued its study day and night for years; but 
the unnaturalness of his diligence taught every wise 
observer that his object was not as much to know the 
depth of that ocean as to drown his grief in it. 


POSTSCRIPT NO. I. 


POOR PHINEHAS. 


Poor Phinehas was not able to drown his grief, but 
drowned himself in the sacred ocean of the Thalmud. 

It was reported several years ago that he had been 
living for years, separated from Leah, in his native vil- 
lage S. — He avoids society, and occupies himself not 
wdth studying, but with unintelligible reading of the 
Thalmud. — His once brilliant mind is dimmed. — He is 
lost. 


POSTSCRIPT NO H. 


o RACHEL, Rachel! 


The rabbi of T. once received a letter from a rabbi of 
some large city in Poland, in which he was urged to 
seek pardon for a young widow, whose name was 
Rachel, from her father, a certain Joshua son of Jere- 
miah. 

It was told in the same letter that she was living 
with her little child in great need and loneliness. 

Joshua did not pardon her, and nothing has been 
heard from her since. 


H 





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